Climate change: Causing people to reconsider having children?

[Arugula Latte]

I have a relative who is going to urge her young adult children to refrain from making babies in the future due to climate change (of course it won't be her ultimate decision, but it's interesting that she would choose to forego being a grandmother if it were up to her). I had my kids around the new millennium, and at the time I thought: "Well, horrible things have always happened on the planet." I hadn't quite registered the severity of climate change back then. It seemed abstract, something that might happen in the distant future. Now it is all too real. It's different than a war or something like that. It's global and it seems unstoppable and it will occur and have terrible consequences for many decades and centuries. I feel incredibly lucky to have had my wonderful kids, and, selfishly, being a parent has been the best experience by far of my life, but I wonder now if I would make the same decision to have babies if I were turning 30 now.

I'm curious if other people are bringing the new climate reality into baby-making decisions.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Things have been looking grim for quite a while.

Although my decision never to breed was more about the fact that we've already got too many humans stripping the planetary resources faster than they replenish than climate change per se.

[yeoman6987]

2. I guess if it their decision that is fine

My sister and her husband have 4 kids..they wanted that girl. My brother and his wife have one child a boy 8 and I don't have any so my parents were able to be grandparents without ruining the planet since it takes 6 to replace population for a family with 3 kids. Perhaps having one child won't ruin the planet too much. I'd just let them make whatever choice they want. I think being a grandparent is pretty cool. I know my parents love it.

[Arugula Latte]

4. There is the question of is it fair to the child to bring it into a melting world ... ?

I don't know the answer to that.

[yeoman6987]

7. Very tough to answer for sure

I guess individuals will have to assess it themselves.

[foxface666]

28. do

you really believe world is melting.

[yeoman6987]

36. Yes and it has forever

And it will continue but again it is up to the couple to have children. We cannot force people to stop having children. It actually would be a disaster for those left of we did.

[StevieM]

6. Out of curiosity, did your sister and BIL use at home methods to affect the gender of their baby?

I have heard that some of the newer methods are extremely effective.

[yeoman6987]

9. I don't think so

But I'd guess no because they had 3 boys right in a row and then finally the girl and then after the birth tube tied. I also can't answer if they would have stopped at 2 if they had one of each right away

[snooper2]

14. Could you describe some of those? Eating pork? Using Dove soap?

[StevieM]

17. I hope that you are genuinely curious and not just making fun of me.

Here are some things that I have read:

Douching can affect that acidity level in a woman's vagina. A more acidic environment favors conceiving a girl. A more alkaline environment favors a boy.

I have heard that having intercourse closer to ovulation makes it more likely to have a boy, while having further away favors having a girl.

Here is a good website that talks about this issue and gives some advice, along with explanations as to why they think these methods work the way they supposedly do.

http://www.bubhub.com.au/hubbub-blog/baby-gender-selection-methods-influence-the-sex-of-your-baby/

[snooper2]

18. Okay, I never knew something like that existed (even the thought of it), but- Internets LOL

Sounds like woo but whatever makes people feel better



Somebody should do a real study...but that would require evidence and factual tracking

Who's going to sign up!

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

22. Those recommendations are not woo,

and they do tip the odds in your favor, but not by much.

In other words, don't count on it working.

[Arugula Latte]

40. This is anecdotal evidence, but the timing thing did seem to "work" for us.

My son was conceived on ovulation day, because we were just trying to have the best odds of achieving pregnancy. For the next baby we intentionally timed "it" to be a couple days off from ovulation, and we did get a girl. (Had #2 been a boy we would have been fine with that, too, but we just thought we'd try to increase our odds of having a girl.)

[marions ghost]

35. Except that's how everyone thinks...

"Perhaps having one child won't ruin the planet too much."

Not to criticize you for putting out these commonly held views, but just to say that the statement above defies logic.

[Duppers]

3. Yes. My son will not have a child.

Said it's unfair to bring a child into our future world. He's 28yo and is my only child, so I shall never be a grandmother.

Some of us are looking at the future with open eyes.

[Arugula Latte]

5. It is tough.

I understand his thinking, though. I would love grandchildren for me, but then what about the kids themselves? Tricky issues.

Adoption is another possibility. I mean, there are kids already here who need homes, and the decision of their existence has already been made.

[StevieM]

16. I don't think we should look at adoption as a wonderful solution to the problem.

A lot of adopted babies come from mother's who were coerced. And many more come from women who were in dire circumstances and forced to accept a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

I understand that there will always need to be some adoptions, even if we could reform the system. But let's not forget that it begins with a tragedy, the separation of a child from its blood relatives. And it usually leaves a suffering birth mother in its wake, one who will grieve for that child for the remainder of her life.

[villager]

26. There will be homes needed, regardless -- good point

As for me, I'm glad I had my children in the 90's. As you mention in the OP, parenthood has been the deepest/richest emotional in my life.

But I'm rather terrified what life as a parent might be like for my kids, should they bring babies into this unraveling 21st century of ours....

[StevieM]

12. I'm sorry. I see your son's point....but I also understand your disappointment.

I am sure you would have made an awesome grandma.

[Duppers]

23. Thank you, Stevie.

I would like to think so.

I've been literally sickened by my readings for the last decade, often grieving to the point of tears, not just for myself or for my son but for the whole beautiful world and most all critters living. What the hell have we done!

(Sadly, I'm a hard atheist, btw, who cannot escape into some fantasy. I think the religious feel that a God will not let such disaster happen. Their faith has been an impediment to a real course of action that could have saved the planet.)



Note to the idiots who may happen to read the euphemism "save the planet" and spout the old "the planet will be fine," -- just F'off. You very well know I mean most lifeforms on this thin crust.

[Skittles]

25. he has plenty of time to change his mind

[REP]

8. My mother, in the '60s, limited her family size in part due to environmental concerns

She always marveled at the selfishness of families with many children - how long was the planet supposed to be able to support that, if each of those five children had another five children?

My brother and I don't have any children. My mother never cared about not being a grandmother, but she was a highly educated and very practical woman.

[Arugula Latte]

10. My husband comes from a big family, but

the grown siblings had a small number of children themselves. A few had none, a couple had one, and a couple had two. But, yeah, usually that's not the case. Unfortunately in general the people who are breeding most prolifically are the fundamentalist religious zealots.

[StevieM]

11. I was actually just discussing this issue with my aunt the last time I went home for a visit.

We were talking about all the damage being done to the planet and how bad it would get in the future. I wondered whether her grandkids would want children of their own when the time came. (They are currently 12, 10, 9 3/4, and 7). My aunt didn't think that individual people, when faced with the situation, would balk at the chance to become parents. They might fear the collective damage being done to the planet, but they wouldn't go so far in their own life as to not become a mom or dad if that was what they really wanted.

I think the point when climate change, and its tangible effects, really starts altering pregnancy decisions will be in about 50 years. Or in other words, when my aunt's grandchildren are deciding whether or not to become parents. I think the key factor in changing behavior will be tangible problems on the ground. Of course, we have those problems now, but in 50 years they will be impossible for anyone to deny, and there will be a clearer picture as to just how bad things will be getting over the following 100 years.

[Gregorian]

13. Yes. Out of everyone I know, only two have children.

Granted, I come from a group who are keenly aware of the population issue. Climate change is a symptom of overpopulation. Not the other way around. But it is one reason people are not having bigger families. I feel the biggest contributor isn't climate change as much as just the price of having children, which includes things like college.

I remember when my best friend decided to have a child. He called me to apologize. Haha. And of anyone I've ever met in my life, he is the most well adjusted human to ever raise a child. Too bad it doesn't work the other way around. I don't see too many people who are qualified to create another human being.

It is a phenomenon that is not happening in the more populous countries of the world, unfortunately. We're still in deep deep trouble in terms of human numbers combined with a modern lifestyle.

[Starry Messenger]

15. In my case, it was just poverty.

I guess that worked out, since the planet is on the ropes.

[Juicy_Bellows]

24. That's it for us as well.

I decided early on that if I couldn't raise a family and give them at least the upbringing I had economically speaking there was no way I would do it. We are not dirt poor but we would be with another person to take care of. Selfish? No, I reject that label - it's selfish to have kids you can't take care of.

Overpopulation and the climate are further proof we've made the right decision.

Fuzzy kids are more fun anyway.

[alarimer]

19. Climate change solutions are going to require changing human behavior.

And that may include reducing the human population. I suspect that might be done for us, through natural disasters or disease.

But it will have to include reducing the use of vehicles for personal transportation and requiring greater density of housing. No more single family homes, which leads to urban sprawl, miles of ugly asphalt, too much driving by individuals.

Americans, in particular, are going to resist. We think it's our god-given right to own a car and drive wherever we please, whenever we please. That will have to stop. But it won't.

I honestly think we are just doomed, so people should do whatever they want. There's really no point educating anyone. They won't listen because it requires drastic changes to lifestyles, which no one is willing (or able, even) to do. Honestly at this point I don't care. Our heads are so buried in the sand they will never come out. It's far too late for any changes to have a positive effect.

[Adrahil]

31. I thonk you are being a pessimist

For example, you say it "has to stop" that we all have cars and drive everywhere. No, it doesn't. We must need to change how those cars work. And we will, sooner or later. The same is true with energy consumption. The problem is NOT That we consume a lot of energy, it's how we get that energy that is the problem.

[csziggy]

20. Growing up in the 50s and 60s made me decide to not have children

With the chance of nuclear war, the assassinations, the political unrest, the predictions of "The Population Bomb" I decided early along that I was never going to have kids. Also, having an aunt that was continuously pregnant for my entire childhood and teen years gave me a clear picture of how unpleasant having kids could be. (She had at least eight pregnancies with six living children and never had an easy pregnancy so she was a miserable person - and still is.)

The Population Bomb was a book that predicted wide spread starvation due to overpopulation. But the time frame that was warned about was in the 1970s and 1980s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Population_Bomb It was part of my freshman core program and was a tipping point for me as an adult that reinforced my previous reluctance to have kids.

Climate change is another dire prediction for the future. While I believe it is far too late to prevent the effects, I have some optimism that humans will find a way to survive. I'm still glad that I didn't have kids.

[foxface666]

29. population

bomb is pretty terrible book.

[csziggy]

34. True but in 1970 many people believed the predictions

And for a freshman in college the concept was terrifying - about the same impact as the predictions of climate change and disruption caused by ocean level rise has now.

[hamsterjill]

21. Absolutely. We've discussed it.

My only daughter is in her early 30's and she and her husband will probably not have children. As you so eloquently expressed, it is THEIR decision and not mine, but I have been asked for my opinion and I have given that opinion to them.

Were I in their position trying to decide, both because of economics and because of the state of the world, I personally, would have to think long and hard before bringing a child into all of that.

My daughter is the light of my life and the apple of my eye. She was a joy to raise and she is the best thing that I ever did!!! LOL

Her father and I divorced when she was a toddler and he chose not to be involved. I worked hard to be a good parent and she turned out well and is an awesome young woman. For me, that is enough. Although I would certainly welcome a grandchild if one (or more) is born, I feel fulfilled.

The rest is up to her and her husband...

[Electric Monk]

27. vhemt or idiocracy? I'm leaning to vhemt, as far as my personal choices go

Last edited Fri Aug 7, 2015, 03:48 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.vhemt.org/aboutvhemt.htm

http://www.thechildfreelife.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5723&start=20

vs

[Ilsa]

30. I think that as the planet becomes more toxic, more children

Might be born with disabilities. That might cause some people to reconsider becoming parents if the chance of genetic mutation goes from 1/100 to 1/30.

[madokie]

32. Vietnam

and exposure to agent orange done it for me

[deutsey]

33. As much as I love my children

I honestly wish I had not had them now. For their sake, not mine. My wife and I had them during a relatively more optimistic time (pre-Bush), which was even then a compromise on my part because I had always felt I didn't want to bring any children into this screwed up place. It's only gotten worse since they were born.

Frankly, I'm always a little baffled when someone I know intentionally gets pregnant these days. But maybe I'm just getting gloom-and-doom the older I get. I keep hoping things won't be as dour (climate-wise, socially, economically, etc.) as they seem they'll be.

[Arugula Latte]

39. I had pre-Bush kids too and

I love them more than I can express, but I am pretty frightened for their future.

[Godhumor]

37. I doubt it is causing people to reconsider

Waiting till later due to career goals, life events, etc? Sure.

Not wanting to bring kids around after watching parents go through a messy divorce? You bet.

Because the climate is changing? I doubt that will tick the +/- on population change.

[marions ghost]

38. An important question

It will get harder for young people who want to have a child or two, to face the possibility that their offspring may have bleak prospects.

Under this depressing future projection, reproducing becomes even more an act of blind faith, a decision based less on rationality than emotion and instinct. Those who have a strong inner override may not want to do it.

Parents should not make it harder for those of their offspring who choose not to have kids, for whatever reason, but especially if it's the way the son or daughter feels they can be better equipped to survive themselves if they don't reproduce. To put pressure on them is abusive.

The planet is overpopulated and compromised, no matter what details you want to pick over. That is the truth of it. If it's not a dying world, then at least we all agree that it's a world in the throes of dynamic profound changes. Not everyone needs to have kids for emotional fulfillment or for having a happy life. That is the myth that we all need to let go of.

[DeepModem Mom]

41. I didn't know anyone else was thinking about this!

I would not have children now, and I think my daughters won't have children unless adopted. It concerns me that I see people around me who are unaware of, or dismissive of, news and events, and/or have few financial means, and are having multiple children. I hope for the best for them.