General Discussion

BigmanPigman

(52,351 posts)

55. Smart decision.

Mon Jan 6, 2020, 08:22 PM

Jan 2020

I made that decision a long time ago but for different reasons. If I had to do it again I would add Climate Change to the list. The birth rate is going down in the US for the first time since 1900 and it is because people are finally thinking, wow, imagine that?!? The young adults are smarter than we give them credit for.

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Today a twenty-something told me that she doesn't plan to have children because of climate change. [View all] milestogo Jan 2020 OP

Both my twenty-something kids feel the same way. yardwork Jan 2020 #1

Are you worried about the suffering and challenges your kids are going to endure? Kaleva Jan 2020 #102

Of course. yardwork Jan 2020 #104

Do you regret having them? Knowing now what their future may be? Kaleva Jan 2020 #106

Of course not. But my children's choices are their own. yardwork Jan 2020 #107

Of course you can't tell them what to do but you can say what you did. Kaleva Jan 2020 #108

They already know that. yardwork Jan 2020 #116

I've heard that too. C_U_L8R Jan 2020 #2

Smart woman. Cattledog Jan 2020 #3

I agree, smart. I made the same decision forty odd years ago. LiberalLoner Jan 2020 #20

The nihilism of the 17-25 year olds that I know is remarkable even to this hard Genxer. WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2020 #4

How is that? Isn't her decision wise if she only envisions suffering for a child she bears? nt Blue_true Jan 2020 #22

She's young enough herself to probably be a casualty of climate change. Kaleva Jan 2020 #96

Excellent point about her youth and that climate change will impact her. Blue_true Jan 2020 #117

Back in the day, having young ones in the family was a survival tactic. Kaleva Jan 2020 #122

If things get as bad as they are tracking to be, those adult children Blue_true Jan 2020 #123

It's the kind of life billions now live Kaleva Jan 2020 #124

Climate change will present exponentially more difficult challenges, even Blue_true Jan 2020 #125

The effects of climate change will not be uniform throughout the world Kaleva Jan 2020 #134

Maybe it is... Newest Reality Jan 2020 #32

Eventually America will only be filled with brainwashed rwnj children if we let the future scare us dustyscamp Jan 2020 #5

"'Let' let the future scare us" Duppers Jan 2020 #26

If I was diagnosed with cancer and had only a little bit of time left on this world dustyscamp Jan 2020 #52

Know any climate scientists? Duppers Jan 2020 #82

2nd thoughts Duppers Jan 2020 #86

If we wreck this planet, no fucking way do we have any business Crunchy Frog Jan 2020 #88

In the end, Earth, because it's always changing, will kill every living thing. Kaleva Jan 2020 #109

But would you decide to have (more) children? robbob Jan 2020 #110

The cold hard facts are that the effects of climate change will not be uniform around the world Kaleva Jan 2020 #64

I am around that age a lot and every one has made this comment. Bummfuzzle Jan 2020 #6

My 32yo son will remain childless. Duppers Jan 2020 #28

it does not take degrees to understand climate change Skittles Jan 2020 #41

The ones I know are working on their secondary degrees, mostly. Right. Bummfuzzle Jan 2020 #48

👍 Duppers Jan 2020 #83

I decided not to when I was 11 safeinOhio Jan 2020 #7

Ditto that. I could see this shit coming decades ago. n/t CousinIT Jan 2020 #14

Me too (or there about) ... Auggie Jan 2020 #27

I hear somewhat older childless couples among my own friends saying now that they are glad they hlthe2b Jan 2020 #8

On The Beach. ret5hd Jan 2020 #9

+1. Check it out. yonder Jan 2020 #10

Yep. sheshe2 Jan 2020 #30

I said the same thing Bev54 Jan 2020 #11

My daughter is 24 and has zero interest in kids Takket Jan 2020 #12

I don't want children, but when I was a twenty something I didn't know any female who didn't. milestogo Jan 2020 #13

Climate change is just one reason Disaffected Jan 2020 #15

Climate change equals Duppers Jan 2020 #31

True, Disaffected Jan 2020 #65

Both of my married sons already decided years ago that they won't reproduce. scarletwoman Jan 2020 #16

I've mostly felt the same way Ahpook Jan 2020 #69

A lot of us were saying this in the sixties and seventies ... marble falls Jan 2020 #17

Our 30 something daughter feels the same, yonder Jan 2020 #18

I'm sure bdamomma Jan 2020 #70

Perspective. Thank you. yonder Jan 2020 #80

Real estate and farm prices crashed in the 1920s Warpy Jan 2020 #92

Hello Warpy!!!! CountAllVotes Jan 2020 #98

Personally, it would be a financial choice not to have kids sakabatou Jan 2020 #19

Maybe she's read "The Population Bomb", by Paul Ehrlich Sonny Mirviss Jan 2020 #21

Just found my copy of that book csziggy Jan 2020 #24

Really? former9thward Jan 2020 #90

So, you got my point. Sonny Mirviss Jan 2020 #93

Yep, my kids too. FirstLight Jan 2020 #23

I told my kids not to bring children into the world. murielm99 Jan 2020 #33

My siblings' children 2naSalit Jan 2020 #25

We did not have children and do not regret that. TNNurse Jan 2020 #29

This is not new. Many have been thinking for a long time that this is unsustainable. We cannot in Evolve Dammit Jan 2020 #34

Wait, how can they be parents if they have no children? smirkymonkey Jan 2020 #43

Lol! cwydro Jan 2020 #60

Sorry; married couples. My bad. Evolve Dammit Jan 2020 #120

No problem. smirkymonkey Jan 2020 #121

I have three adult daughters... Sedona Jan 2020 #35

As an old Boomer... Newest Reality Jan 2020 #36

Fallout is imminent or soon bucolic_frolic Jan 2020 #37

She's probably correct. paleotn Jan 2020 #38

Good move CountAllVotes Jan 2020 #39

Fertility rates have been dropping world wide for decades. Women are feeling their power and Kurt V. Jan 2020 #40

It's like all these different facets of the Handmaid's Tale, are dewsgirl Jan 2020 #56

I made the same decision back in the 70s & 80s for the same reason. I had no faith that humanity catbyte Jan 2020 #42

This is nothing new. llmart Jan 2020 #44

My friend's 30 year old son said the same thing DesertRat Jan 2020 #45

I never wanted children and didn't have them, and don't regret it at all. smirkymonkey Jan 2020 #46

You don't have to add to overpopulation TexasBushwhacker Jan 2020 #47

If I were 20 again Timewas Jan 2020 #49

My son made the same decision. lunatica Jan 2020 #50

I heard that in the fifties about nuclear war spike jones Jan 2020 #51

I decided the same in 1965. MineralMan Jan 2020 #53

I agree. warmfeet Jan 2020 #54

Smart decision. BigmanPigman Jan 2020 #55

Happily Childfree cagefreesoylentgreen Jan 2020 #57

Don't worry, plenty of people in India/Bangladesh will take their place Baclava Jan 2020 #58

There've been too many adults in need of parenting in my life. Mersky Jan 2020 #59

If I were a GenZ person, I am not sure I'd have kids, either. PatrickforO Jan 2020 #61

My daughter and I were talking about choices Marthe48 Jan 2020 #62

She is smart. MLAA Jan 2020 #63

I'm in my 30s and haven't had children for that reason (among others) Tiggeroshii Jan 2020 #66

Both my 20 somethings Andy Canuck Jan 2020 #67

The planet doesn't need saving. It will outlast the human species by millions of years Kaleva Jan 2020 #68

Neither does my 32 year-old son. ancianita Jan 2020 #71

My husband keeps saying the wrong ones marlakay Jan 2020 #72

Well, she's ASSUMING she's going to have a choice about that! Texin Jan 2020 #73

Why would you even go there? Bummfuzzle Jan 2020 #84

We might not be in this situation had we, the older generation, decided not to have kids. Kaleva Jan 2020 #74

Some of us did just that. Not enough, apparently. MineralMan Jan 2020 #111

She is likely correct too. BeckyDem Jan 2020 #75

m kids as well handmade34 Jan 2020 #76

No surprise... Hulk Jan 2020 #77

My 29 year old says the same thing🙁 rainy Jan 2020 #78

For perspective, some 20-somethings a generation ago said the same thing because of nuclear war JHB Jan 2020 #79

There are a lot of people doing that NCProgressive Jan 2020 #81

Good jcgoldie Jan 2020 #85

Ditto on my 20 something Olafjoy Jan 2020 #87

I'll never have grandchildren from my son Bluesaph Jan 2020 #89

No Kids, No Regrets Upward Jan 2020 #91

didn't realize there were so many older people here Apple Fritter Jan 2020 #94

twenty-somethings are young enough to probably fall victim to the ravages of climate change Kaleva Jan 2020 #95

Do any of us older folks worry about the suffering our twenty-something kids are going to endure? Kaleva Jan 2020 #97

Climate change is a population issue. MineralMan Jan 2020 #113

Yes. I can see how they feel hopelessly screwed over. milestogo Jan 2020 #115

But the world's population will hit 8 billion in 2023. JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2020 #99

Kick ck4829 Jan 2020 #100

Her choice but she's more pessimistic than climate scientists. Loki Liesmith Jan 2020 #101

On average even with insurance exboyfil Jan 2020 #103

My younger daughter, now 33 greymattermom Jan 2020 #105

Smart StarryNite Jan 2020 #112

I started asking doctors about a vasectomy at 25. Jokerman Jan 2020 #114

I wish the evangelical bible-thumpers down the street from me felt the same way. jcmaine72 Jan 2020 #118

Good lord,maybe they just like kids. I have six,my body,my choice. virgogal Jan 2020 #126

Did you read what I wrote? They're bible-thumping nuts. jcmaine72 Jan 2020 #128

Who is going to pay my social security? Joe941 Jan 2020 #119

It was in 1999. . . Collimator Jan 2020 #127

Cold hard scientific fact has little to do with the psychology of self fulfilling prophecy... tandem5 Jan 2020 #129

I chose not to breed... BluNoMatterHu Jan 2020 #130

My soon-to-be 35 year old daughter feels differently DFW Jan 2020 #131

Yeah, I've heard that a lot Bradical79 Jan 2020 #132

Adopt Bradical79 Jan 2020 #133