Should kids be thinking about death? For the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, I’m John Stonestreet with The Point.

You’ve heard about sex-ed, but what about death-ed? Writing at the New York Times, Jessica Nutik Zitter, who teaches both subjects to seventh-graders, suggests it’s time we get teens talking about end-of-life issues.

Terminal illness, dementia, hospice, and living wills are all subjects Zitter thinks parents and teachers should discuss. And though I doubt we’d agree on what should be taught in sex education, she makes some good points on helping kids think clearly about dying well.

Our society avoids death. We try to stay young forever, and Americans overwhelmingly die in hospitals, hooked up to tubes and machines, while aggressive treatments mean final moments are too often a nightmare, rather than a peaceful departure surrounded by loved ones.

As Christians we must firmly oppose things like doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia, while avoiding the opposite error of endlessly fighting off the inevitable. And as Eric said recently on BreakPoint, Christians are uniquely positioned to accept death, because we know the One Who’s defeated it.