My Son Contemplated the Value of His Future, and It Shattered My Heart

During a drive to soccer practice, my 10-year-old son, Leo, stated bluntly, “Mom, I think I want to die.” If it had been any other child, I might have pulled over immediately. But this is Leo—so I switched into my Cool, Composed Mom mode without even lowering the volume of his favorite playlist. “Oh? What makes you feel that way?” I inquired.

“I just don’t want to face the world falling apart,” he replied.

I prompted him to elaborate, taking advice from my parenting podcast. What followed was a detailed, albeit slightly misguided, explanation of climate change from a child trying to grasp the enormity of his future.

In his passionate outburst, Leo touched on melting ice caps, extreme heat, floods, droughts, and yes, even the infamous cow emissions. I let out a sigh of relief; this wasn’t about self-harm but rather the impending doom of the planet.

A little context: Leo lives a comfortable life in a suburban home with a loving family, including his tech-savvy dad, a mom who used to teach, and three younger siblings who look up to him. His typical worries revolve around having to share a room or practice the trumpet.

Most days, Leo dreams big about his future—he’s mentioned wanting two kids if he gets married, living in a Manhattan penthouse with his favorite cousin, owning a pet fox, and becoming a professional wrestler. I cherish those dreams for him.

However, for a brief fifteen minutes last Monday, he questioned if his future was even worth pursuing. That thought broke me.

As parents, we often carry the weight of our children’s emotional struggles silently. I’ve been navigating this journey for a decade, and I knew I had to keep my composure. I discussed with Leo how climate change might affect his adult life.

If we don’t change our ways, I explained, humans will continue to pump carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to rising temperatures that may seem minor but can drastically alter daily life.

Uncle Sam, our family firefighter, will be increasingly deployed to combat relentless wildfires. Climate change will also create ideal conditions for disease-carrying insects, worsening Leo’s allergies and increasing the risk of asthma for his cousin, Mia.

We’ll see less snow and rainfall, resulting in water scarcity and more severe heatwaves, which could lead to illness and fatalities. Rising sea levels threaten to flood areas where many Americans live.

As we reached the soccer practice parking lot, I shared, “These changes will impact the vulnerable—those who are poor, sick, or elderly, as well as people like Uncle Sam who work outdoors.”

The more I explained, the harder it became to maintain my cool facade. The world is genuinely in crisis, yet I had to stay calm for him. I turned to Leo, who was putting on his shinguards, and said, “No matter how tough things get, life is worth living. You only get one chance to experience it. There’s plenty of joy mixed in with the challenges.”

He nodded but shrugged as he grabbed his ball and rushed off. “Yeah, but grown-ups kinda ripped us off,” he called back.

I get it, buddy. I understand. It weighs heavily on me to raise you knowing the world we’re handing over.

Our kids are growing up on Disney wisdom—“Keep swimming,” says Dory, and “Do the next right thing,” reminds Anna. While these messages are vital, what do we expect our children to endure? Why have previous generations often failed to do the right thing?

Globally, young people are advocating for change to secure a better future. In September, 400 activists gathered in Milan for the Youth4Climate summit, where they proposed recommendations for the upcoming Climate Change Conference. Despite representing 180 countries, there’s a haunting realization that their solutions may not be embraced at the United Nations talks. Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate stressed the urgency of immediate action, stating, “If we are going to cut emissions by 2030, it has to start now.”

The path forward is clear, although not necessarily easy. To be blunt, my 10-year-old isn’t asking for the moon. Just a livable Earth.

So, let’s not fail our children, adults.

For more insights on climate change and necessary actions, check out the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, you can explore our other blog post here for more related content. If you’re curious about at-home insemination options, visit Cryobaby for expert guidance. For a comprehensive understanding of pregnancy and home insemination, this resource is invaluable.

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In summary, it’s heart-wrenching to hear your child question the value of their future. As parents, we must acknowledge their fears while encouraging resilience and hope. Engaging in discussions about pressing issues like climate change is vital, as is fostering their dreams and aspirations.

Keyphrase: The Value of Our Children’s Future

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