What does the future hold for our children?

[baggysenior]

hi, i dont know if i'm posting this question in the appropriate section, apologies if i'm not.
My partner has refused to have further children because he is scared about what the future has in store for the children of today. i.e global warming etc. Aside from whether you think this is an excuse for not becoming a father again i would like to know a bit about what the future may be like as I'd like to have a little insight as to where he is coming from so's that i don't appear to be so ignorant. Does anyone share his opinion and if so why? Thankyou in advance.

[DanAB]

i think its the same future which was predicted for us back in the 1970's. "By the year 2000 we will be taking holidays to the moon"

i would say that you dont force men into having children. i would say its the way men are, we like to control our lives and plan ahead.

if he already has children, maybe he wants to see them grow up and become adults before he makes any more commitments. (unless they are already at that stage)

[andy-hughes]

The world is a flawed place, and we can only have influence over our own domain on it, which includes our families.

If ytou have children, raise them to be the best people they can be, by example and education, and hope that they carry that goodness forward into the world. The rest you cannot control, so don;t hurt your head worrying about it.

I would say that global warming is a pretty poor excuse for not having children - suggest he gives up his car for five years, see what he says then.

[madmaggot]

A couple needs to be in agreement about the number of children they have; perhaps he feels the need to justify himself to you.
As regards the future for today's children; if you get the chance go to see the film: The Age of Stupid. It's not on general release but may be showing in your area.
Google The Age of Stupid

[vehelpfulguy]

Despite the "gloom merchants" it is probably a better time to live now than at any time in history.

Look back at say the victorian times. Many children never survived the first year, people worked long hours, and in dangerous environments, many people died young of illness, many people never left their home town, and there was no health service, benefits for the poor and so on.

Nowadays people are living longer, many diseases have been eradicated, we have tablets and drugs to stop pain, we have a health service and benefits for the poor.

Many people have cars and devices like TVs, computers, mobile phones etc, and people go abroad on holiday on a regular basis.

I bet if you asked a person from Victorian times which period they would like to live in they would choose ours like a shot.

Anyone who does not want children for the reasons you mentioned is either avoiding being a parent, or they are perhpas a little depressed and worrying about the state of the world too much.

[aims1202]

vehelpfulguy i would say the same, people always go on about 'the good old days' forgetting what life was really like for lots of people-very hard. Though there were good things in the past that we have now lost, i think one of these is trust in others around you, the people in your community and street, some people don't even know their neighbours and bring their kids up to not trust 'strangers' not to even talk to them! This makes for a less safe environment for them, if you know those around you and they know you, you look out for each other and your kids. if you keep your kids in or wrap them up in cotton wool they learn nothing about the real world and how to cope in it. Maybe some people are just too busy earning all that money to bother with the neighbours. BUT there are many things that are so much better now, we are a more tolerant society, people including children are treated better, we have free health care, the facilities for young children are so good the list goes on. Sometimes having more is not such a good thing, makes us forget whats really important and maybe some think it will make them happy and then it doesnt. Maybe its all down to your perception of the world, you could see the good, in everything, or you could see the bad. The london 7/7 bombings were tragic, four men did a terrible evil thing but what did most people do as a result, the survivors, the emergency services and others, they all did good, they did all they could to help others, strangers. There is so much good all around you just have to open your eyes to it. Yes there are bad things too, and everyone of us can make a difference just by doing little things, there are different bad things but not more than in the past. And for the future, who knows, i say live in the now and enjoy every moment.
www.wearewhatwedo.com

[aims1202]

sorry www.wearewhatwedo.org

[sandmaster]

There is nothing new under the sun. The world is a dangerous place and always has been. Luckily for me my grandparents did not think the world was too dangerous for children after WW1 and my parents also did not think that way after WW2. I was a teenager during the Cuba crisis when the world was heading to oblivion - but I have since fathered two delightful children. I hope they go on to do the same.