same. and now I feel like I get these moments with my kids where I am like, oh this is why, but the feeling is too intense and primal to really put into words.
I think about why we exist and would be glad to talk about this any time. As a counselor, I view all of this from a different lens perhaps. As a person whose faith determines my identity and purpose for living, the question of why we are here always intrigues me.
I believe hope is essential, Emma. I remember having a conversation similar to this some years ago. I'm in my later 50's now. But a friend was talking about whether she wanted to have kids or not. Her concern at that time wasn't so much the climate, but she just felt like the world had so many problems. She asked herself whether or not she wanted to bring kinds into this world. Ultimately she and her husband had two beautiful daughters who are growing up now. I think the oldest may be starting college soon. No matter what era we live in, there will always be problems in the broader world, but also things to overcome in our own lives. But hope and a sense of well being remain essential for good mental health I think.
I love the clear-headedness of this post. So many columns about whether or not to have kids don’t give any actual advice, and this is so specific and so helpful. Also I needed the reminder to do better about carbon emissions. Thank you.
I also like the point (maybe you said on a podcast somewhere?) about how if you're not already not flying, not vegan, not giving up your vehicle, not voting for climate friendly policies and politicians, not patronizing Amazon and other major polluters, then the idea of not having kids because of their potential climate impact is probably more of a way of justifying not having kids (which is obviously totally fine) than it is about climate change. Also love your still mulling over q's
I remember discussing why we have kids a lot in a biomedical ethics class in college, and the answer we talked about was "because we're doing to die" and there's kind of a biological urge to keep ourselves going somehow. Kids are not a rational decision at all. I have two small children, and this is not a lifestyle you choose rationally. But I love them to pieces and I do my best to be responsible climate-wise and do my best to teach them to be responsible in that way.
Also, I ponder often the idea that people who care have to have kids. It can't be only the people who don't question this, don't believe in climate change, etc putting kids into the world because then we're in bigger trouble. As your commenter below aluded to, it is definitely an act of hope.
"Who knows why?"
This is so true. I spent so much time trying to analyze how I felt, why I felt it, and whether feeling it was logical or not. Great post!
same. and now I feel like I get these moments with my kids where I am like, oh this is why, but the feeling is too intense and primal to really put into words.
I think about why we exist and would be glad to talk about this any time. As a counselor, I view all of this from a different lens perhaps. As a person whose faith determines my identity and purpose for living, the question of why we are here always intrigues me.
Yes, I think faith (and I don't mean religious faith, just any faith or hopeful ordering of things) plays such a big role.
I believe hope is essential, Emma. I remember having a conversation similar to this some years ago. I'm in my later 50's now. But a friend was talking about whether she wanted to have kids or not. Her concern at that time wasn't so much the climate, but she just felt like the world had so many problems. She asked herself whether or not she wanted to bring kinds into this world. Ultimately she and her husband had two beautiful daughters who are growing up now. I think the oldest may be starting college soon. No matter what era we live in, there will always be problems in the broader world, but also things to overcome in our own lives. But hope and a sense of well being remain essential for good mental health I think.
I have some thoughts about why we exist….!
I love the clear-headedness of this post. So many columns about whether or not to have kids don’t give any actual advice, and this is so specific and so helpful. Also I needed the reminder to do better about carbon emissions. Thank you.
I also like the point (maybe you said on a podcast somewhere?) about how if you're not already not flying, not vegan, not giving up your vehicle, not voting for climate friendly policies and politicians, not patronizing Amazon and other major polluters, then the idea of not having kids because of their potential climate impact is probably more of a way of justifying not having kids (which is obviously totally fine) than it is about climate change. Also love your still mulling over q's
I remember discussing why we have kids a lot in a biomedical ethics class in college, and the answer we talked about was "because we're doing to die" and there's kind of a biological urge to keep ourselves going somehow. Kids are not a rational decision at all. I have two small children, and this is not a lifestyle you choose rationally. But I love them to pieces and I do my best to be responsible climate-wise and do my best to teach them to be responsible in that way.
Also, I ponder often the idea that people who care have to have kids. It can't be only the people who don't question this, don't believe in climate change, etc putting kids into the world because then we're in bigger trouble. As your commenter below aluded to, it is definitely an act of hope.