I’m stressed my child isn’t stressed about climate change
Parents are forever walking the tightrope of keeping their children informed not alarmed about climate change — but Darren Levin wonders whether his child is altogether too cool about global warming.
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My eight-year-old daughter doesn’t stress about climate change, and it’s kinda stressing me out.
She didn’t wag school for the School Strike 4 Climate rally the other week. She thinks Greta Thunberg is the one that’s not Agnetha in ABBA.
When I told her Greta was arguably the greatest threat to fragile middle-aged masculinity since women started kicking a footy professionally she just shrugged and fired off a handball at me.
It’s quite inspiring to see how Greta’s one-person stance against climate inaction has sparked a global movement. She’s shown kids around the world they have a voice — even if they don’t have a vote — but what if your kid wants to use that voice to sing covers of Old Town Road on TikTok?
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As a parent I feel like I’m forever walking this tightrope of keeping my daughter informed not alarmed. We talk about openly about the issues of our time — Brexit, Donald Trump, who’s gonna win bathroom week on The Block — but am I derelict in my duty if I’m not warning her about the impending apocalypse?
“Dad, I want to be a sports broadcaster when I grow up.”
“Sorry honey, but if greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trajectory the only broadcasting you’ll be doing is from a dimly lit bunker stocked floor-to-ceiling with cans of creamed corn. Now put down that microphone and help daddy dig.”
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If she knew how dire things were, would it even help?
Given how unhinged the adult reactions have been to the School Strike 4 Climate and the March For Our Lives against gun violence in America, there’s no doubt kids can be agitators capable of bringing single issues to the fore. But there are limits to their power, too.
If I woke her up every morning with some fun climate facts would it shock her into action? Or would it just make her more anxious about something beyond her control?
“Look, I don’t want to alarm you or anything, but if the earth’s temperature rose another degree, it could lead to the catastrophic destruction of coral reefs and the extinction of thousands of species. Now do you want vegemite in your sandwich, or jam?”
Instead, we’ve decided to make some practical changes around the house. We’ve reduced our waste and red meat intake. We’re drinking our nine daily coffees out of KeepCups. We’re planting those free seeds from the supermarket instead of just tossing them out. Who knows if this stuff will actually make a difference, but showing our kids we’re at least conscious about it could.
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I can’t believe I’m paraphrasing Scott Morrison at this point, but I do actually want them growing up feeling positive about the future. I realise that’s a pretty privileged position to take, especially with kids in Tuvalu dealing with water lapping at the door. But that’s the thing about privilege — it affords you the luxury of not having to deal with difficult conversations until they come home one day asking whether their future consists of a Soylent Green diet and wearing SPF50+ sunscreen in June.
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, but for now I’m pretty happy with my kid not giving a stuff about the climate crisis. That’s not to say I don’t support Greta Thunberg’s efforts, or the thousands of kids she inspired to take the streets earlier this month. It just means I’m not going to be guilted into transferring my climate anxieties onto my child.
Darren Levin is a columnist with RendezView.com.au
Originally published as I’m stressed my child isn’t stressed about climate change
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