“Mom, I think I want to die,” my 10-year-old son, Jake, said calmly as we drove to soccer practice. If it had been any other child, I might have pulled over immediately. But this was Jake, so I quickly switched into my Cool, Collected Mom mode without even lowering his favorite playlist. “Oh? What makes you feel that way?”
“I just don’t want to deal with the world falling apart,” he replied.
I remembered my parenting podcast’s advice and encouraged him to elaborate. What followed was a detailed — if somewhat skewed — take on climate change from the perspective of a 10-year-old trying to make sense of the future.
Jake went on about melting ice caps, heatwaves, floods, droughts, and yes, even cow farts. At least I thought, this isn’t about him wanting to end his life; it’s just his concerns about the planet’s future.
A Comfortable Bubble
A bit of context: Jake lives in a comfortable bubble — a cozy home in the suburbs, a dad who works in tech, a mom who used to teach, and three younger siblings who look up to him. His biggest complaints usually revolve around sharing his room and practicing trumpet.
Most days, he dreams big. He talks about marriage and possibly having two kids, living in a penthouse in New York with his cousin, owning a pet fox, and even becoming a WWE superstar. I cherish those dreams for him. But last Monday, for a solid fifteen minutes, he questioned whether his future was worth it, and it broke my heart.
The Weight of Parenthood
As parents, we often carry our heartbreaks silently. After a decade of parenting, I tried to keep my emotions in check and maintained a calm demeanor while talking with Jake about climate change and its potential impact on his future.
I explained that if we continue on our current path, greenhouse gases will keep rising, and average temperatures will increase — something that may seem small but can lead to significant consequences. I shared how wildfires would become more common, leading to prolonged absences for family members like Uncle Ben, who is a firefighter. The warmer climate would also bring more mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, making life a bit more complicated.
As we parked, I added, “These changes will affect vulnerable populations the most, like those who are poor or elderly.”
The more I explained the realities of climate change, the harder it became to keep my cool. I turned to Jake, who was lacing up his shinguards. “No matter how tough life gets, it’s worth living. We only get one shot at it, buddy. There’s so much joy to be found alongside the chaos.”
He nodded but then shrugged, grabbing his soccer ball and running toward his team. “Yeah, but grown-ups really messed things up for us,” he called back.
I get it, kid. I really do. It weighs on me to think about what I’ve brought him into.
The Voices of a New Generation
Today’s kids are raised on positive messages from Disney, like “Just keep swimming” from Dory and “Do the next right thing” from Anna. Both are great advice, but what are we really asking our kids to swim through? And why have generations of adults often done the opposite of what they should have?
Young people globally are demanding action to secure their future. Recently, 400 young activists gathered in Milan for the Youth4Climate meeting, hoping to influence the upcoming Climate Change Conference. Their voices represent countless others who worry their recommendations will fall on deaf ears. As Ugandan climate activist Maya Kato expressed, “If leaders talk about cutting emissions, it has to start now, not later.”
Jake isn’t asking for the impossible; he just wants a livable future. So let’s help them. For more on how to navigate these challenges, check out resources like Make a Mom for at-home insemination options, or explore detailed insights on how at-home insemination works. The CDC also has excellent information on reproductive health.
Conclusion
In summary, our kids are inheriting a world full of challenges, and it is our responsibility to help them navigate these fears while also empowering them to be part of the solution.
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