PowerSwitch

It would seem that 84% of the people who participate in this forum are in the 35 to 64 age group whearas only about 39% of the UK population are in this age range. I was wondering if this might have anything to do with the possibility that a significant number of us have children?

Thanks in advance to all those who participate and comment...

Adam

Nope, but I intend to have them before I'm 34

Define 'have' (In the Bill Clinton sense )

I am 40 years old and have 3 kids, all under 7.

I have always been ambivalant toward having children. Now that PO/climate change/ impending depression (general Doom in other words) seem imminent, I am glad I don't, I would not want to impose such a future upon them.

When in contact with children I sometimes feel a sense of guilt, and would not blame them if, when they become aware, they kicked our collective asses. Indeed this may come to pass, whenever kids are difficult or antisocial, I often forgive them thinking 'get your revenge in now, because you've got no future'

I've got kids. Not sure if that makes me more likely to be PO/climate change aware. I think perhaps its more in your genes.

I too doubt the correlation between childrearing and awareness of peak oil / limits to growth etc.

For what it's worth I am 28 and have a two-year-old daughter. It saddens me sometimes to think of the world she's entering, but both me and my wife are determined to give her some skills and optimism! Since her arrival I've lost any desire to have another baby, mainly through principle: personally I'd rather contribute to a a shrinking population than a growing one.

But also I like my sleep too much.

Just to clarify I have parental responsibility for two, but genetic link to none.

I have always seen the world as over populated but since I have never had a relationship where direct parenthood was a realistic option, I have effectively dodged the question of should/shouldn't I...

I'm gay/queer (delete as applicable) and have never been remotely interested in having kids of my own. Life feels sufficiently rewarding and complicated enough already!

If widespread disorder, hunger and immigration controls don't bring the numbers down in decades to come, I'm sure encouraging all the latent gayness out there could help. Perhaps the government should consider a campaign in the provinces? 'Men, your country needs you...' etc.

Wouldn't it be more effective if, in this case, it were the ladies who were called to the "front"?

hardworkinghippy wrote:Wouldn't it be more effective if, in this case, it were the ladies who were called to the "front"?

Yes, but aren't there fewer gay women than gay men?

marknorthfield wrote:If widespread disorder, hunger and immigration controls don't bring the numbers down in decades to come, I'm sure encouraging all the latent gayness out there could help. Perhaps the government should consider a campaign in the provinces? 'Men, your country needs you...' etc.

You're probably right, if more of us were gay it'd help, but if there's one thing that might put people off coming out and enjoying this latent gayness, it'll be the inevitable suspicions aroused by the government officially encouraging them to do so!

Me, I'm not "queer", just a bit odd. As for children, I have two. If it weren't for my children I don't think I'd worry about the future so much, or even at all. My greatest concern is that my daughter's disabilities mean that she will always be 100% dependent on others just to get by. I can't envisage how she would fit in to some of the more "survivalist" type scenarios which are occassionally discussed or mentioned on this forum.

Yes, I have 3, one of each...

An increase in the none breeding male population just leaves more women for the rest of us.
A single male can impregnate hundreds of women, a single woman cant be impregnated by hundreds of men.

I'm 29, my husband is 40, and we've got no children, which has been a constant source of grief to me for many years; I started trying for a child when I was 20 because I knew I'd have trouble, I've had eight miscarriages, and am finding it extremely difficult to cope with all my friends and family having baby after baby around me. For various reasons, we can't try for kids any more and we can't adopt. However, as it's become clear exactly what we're all heading for and how difficult and unpleasant life is going to become, it's some small (and very cold) comfort that I'm never going to be a mother - it's frightening enough knowing what we're all going to have to deal with, without feeling responsible for bringing someone else into this mess.