Is Climate Change Becoming a Factor in Family Planning? A New Survey Says Yes - Yahoo Life

Climate change isn't only affecting the planet. It's affecting parents and children as well.

<p>lechatnoir / Getty Images</p> — lechatnoir / Getty Images

Climate change is not only affecting the planet but also parents, children, and even family planning. With the rise in temperature across the nation, climate change is becoming more of a recurring factor in decision-making for adults and children. One recent study found fears of climate change may even be influencing parents to think differently about having more kids, or any kids in the first place.

“I’ve always cared about climate change, but not enough to affect how many kids I had. But in the last few years, that’s changed—I had my tubes tied—and I worry a lot about how safe my kids will be when they’re grown,” says Abby Winston, a mom of two kids in Maine.

The study was commissioned and published by HP Inc., formally known as Hewlett-Packard, along with Morning Consult. They surveyed 5,000 parents from five different countries—India, Mexico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States— to find out how climate change is shaping the way parents think about the world, their careers, and raising kids.

Climate Change and Its Effect on Families

The study found parents are overwhelmingly concerned about the health of our planet, and it's showing up in spending habits, career choices, and as we mentioned, family planning. Kids are also showing signs of heightened anxiety about climate change.

Here are some other key findings:

91% of parents are concerned about the climate crisis, leading to changes that reshape their lives and purchasing habits.
53% of those who are concerned about climate change say it has impacted their perspective on having more children.
Nearly half of the respondents said that they had reconsidered the company they currently or previously worked for due to their commitment to the environment and social issues.

Climate change is such a massive problem that no singular person can solve it—and it won't likely get solved in our lifetime. Despite climate change evidence being grounded in science, there are still many people who either refuse to acknowledge the problem or who willfully ignore it.

"America seems to be in the minority of countries that politicize science, and therefore, issues like climate change, internationally are taken as fact rather than a political opinion," says Scott Roth Psy.D., a child psychologist and the clinical director and founding partner of Applied Psychological Services of New Jersey. "There are also many parts of the planet that are facing the tragic impact of climate change in real-time, so it does appear to be an existential threat for many parents."

At this point, decisions about whether or not to have children and family size are likely impacted by a variety of factors, with climate change being one, Dr. Roth explains. One doesn't have to look very far to see examples of how depleting resources are impacting families across the country. From droughts and historic severe weather patterns wiping out crops to chaotic economics driving high food, medical, and housing costs, there are plenty of reasons why many families are questioning if they should increase their size.

Alternatively, the "one and done" phenomenon of couples committing to only having one child continues to grow. The “childless by choice” movement is also growing. According to the Pew Research Center, 44% of non-parents between the ages of 18 and 49 say they don't plan to have kids at all; one of the reasons cited? Climate change.

"In general, I am seeing a higher and more persistent amount of anxiety in my clinical practice," says Dr. Roth. "In addition, a majority of patients bring up the toxicity of the current political climate as major stress in their lives. To them, the slow wheels of government seem ill-equipped to address the threat of climate change. Anxiety stems from two core beliefs: First, we believe that the problems we face are too big to solve. Second, we believe that we do not have the internal resources to cope with this bigness."

Climate Change and Children

It's not just parents who are worried about climate change—kids are too. "I teach my kids how to recycle and the importance of not wasting water or food because those things are important, and I try not to talk about climate change in a way that is scary, but they see things and hear things at school," says Winston. "Our well dried up last summer—that's never happened in the 20 years I've lived in this house. And now those Canadian wildfires have my kids worried that fires will happen here next."

Winston's kids aren't alone. According to a 2021 study published by the Lancet, researchers surveyed 10,000 teens and young adults across 10 countries about their feelings on climate change. According to survey results, 75% said they feel frightened of the future, and 59% said that climate change makes them feel extremely worried.

The current zeitgeist of anxiety around climate change seems to be affecting people of all ages, including Dr. Roth's two kids. "Interestingly enough, I see it in my own children, who have had nights where the thought of extreme weather events has kept them up at night," says Dr. Roth.

He explains that in his practice, kids are showing signs of anxiety about climate change. "Information is at the fingertips of our children," he says. "As adults, they look to us to solve these problems, and in my opinion, we have been coming up short for them."

How Can Parents Help Their Kids Manage Climate Change Anxiety?

So, what can parents do to help their kids feel more at ease when it comes to anxiety about climate change? There are a couple of suggestions.

“We do experiences for gifts during the holidays now instead of buying a ton of plastic that will end up in a landfill," says Winston. “This is our lifestyle. They are being raised to be environmentally conscious and mindful of how their actions impact the earth.”

“I think the first thing we need to do is empower our children to make the 'micro changes' in their own lives to fight climate change," adds Dr. Roth.

Scott Roth, Psy.D.

I think the first thing we need to do is empower our children to make the 'micro changes' in their own lives to fight climate change

He explains that giving kids things they can be in control of (like not wasting water or food) can give them a sense of agency. Dr. Roth suggests some other practical things kids can do:

Write letters or call their representatives to express their concerns about climate change.
Volunteer or join clubs that focus on helping the environment.
Learn about climate change as a family and commit to ways (big and small) to change habits that contribute to pollution.

"We need to rally our children to fight because it is their future," says Dr. Roth. "Anxiety in itself can be adaptive and can motivate action; however, when it becomes too overwhelming, it impedes our ability to function. Allowing our children to feel some anxiety while teaching them the skills to prevent it from becoming too overwhelming is a good start."

Not sure where to get started learning about climate change with your kids? Check out these resources:

If you’re concerned about your child’s mental or emotional health, make talk to your family doctor.

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