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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be irritated by Prince Harry's attitude to third and subsequent children?

228 replies

Irishgurl · 21/08/2019 18:29

So my youngest DC is 12. Incredibly aware of environmental issues and is beginning to think of a career in Marine Biology. Already follows environmental blogs, has joined school focus groups for this and keeps our family in check on our environmental responsibility. And is very sad to have read Prince Harry's comments on third children being something that is damaging to the planet. I do find it rather frustrating that I have had to discuss this with a child. The planet is being damaged and no one can deny it. But it is really naive to point the finger of blame on third and subsequent children in a family. It doesn't matter to me how many children you have as long as you bring them up to add something to society rather than take away ( and this includes the environment). The more children the better , as long as they are contributing and making the world a better place? I think he should apologize to all third children ( and 4th and 5th). And that includes his Mother, Prince Louis, my lovely 12 year old and many more fantastic human beings who really don't deserve to be told that they are bad for the planet!

OP posts:
ThighThighOfthigh · 22/08/2019 00:04

Hopefully he was barefoot.

RainMinusBow · 22/08/2019 00:15

Yes but our circumstance is slightly different in that my OH has no children.

CedarTreeLeaf · 22/08/2019 01:13

It's just a silly message overall. The population of the western world is shrinking whether people want to harp on it or not. The current economic climate means most people of child bearing age (millennials) are second guessing having children at all. Out of my Nan's 20 millennial grandchildren, only 3 have had any children. The others have vocally stated they do not want any children. It seems like it's much harder to have stable long term relationships in suitable homes these days, especially since so many young people grew up with divorced parents. I really think this call of having fewer children is a virtue signalling distraction of the real threats to our planet (drilling for oil, fracking, reluctance from the government to properly develop rail and make it free to get cars off the roads, etc). These are the real issues we face. Telling a bunch of people to not have more than 2 is ridiculous when this generation is more likely to have none when you consider the cost of housing/living.

user1497863568 · 22/08/2019 01:24

It's not a silly message when all we are regarded is as cannon fodder by so many he would come into contact with. Bit hard for them to fight endless wars with no fodder :) He has to be delicate about it though or they'll off him like they did his poor beautiful mum.

RosaWaiting · 22/08/2019 01:26

I don’t think about the royals much

But I’m really glad he has said this. There’s so much damage from overpopulation, not just to the environment. I know David Attenborough talks about overpopulation but it doesn’t seem to get much coverage.

Another public figure saying it is a good thing.

HandsReachingOut · 22/08/2019 01:31

Oh look! Something to distract and outrage the public and stop them talking about Andrew and their links to questionable associates. Grin

NorberErratics · 22/08/2019 01:32

Maybe he thinks his grandmother should have stopped at two? One of his uncles may be a bit of an embarrassment at the moment...

NorberErratics · 22/08/2019 01:32

Xpost!

Starrynights86 · 22/08/2019 01:32

He’s such a hypocrite. Enjoy your third child, I bet you don’t take private jets which are horrendous for the environment!

quizqueen · 22/08/2019 01:52

The more children people have, the more people on the planet, the fewer resources to go around. Harry and Meghan spout a load of twaddle but, in this instance, they are correct.

Keeping to two children only per naturally fertile woman would help to reduce the numbers of humans in the world as some women are infertile or choose not to have families, some children will die before adulthood and not reproduce etc.

Do you really think the Earth can go as it is with the ever increasing number of humans on without there being any consequences- food and mineral shortages, animal extinction, wars, diseases, chopping down of trees and so on. No it can't; it can only support a finite number of people and animals and, I suspect, we have already passed the point of no return.

Idaho999 · 22/08/2019 01:58

Having one less child or not having any at all for that metter is probably the biggest contribution its possible to make on a individual level.

Get over youself. Have as many kids as you like but get to grips with the impact those desisions have on the environment.

flatulencebythebucket · 22/08/2019 01:58

Really really dislike Harry & his mrs, they represent everything shallow & bad about this corrupt country.

Idaho999 · 22/08/2019 02:05

Really really dislike Harry & his mrs, they represent everything shallow & bad about this corrupt country.

Such as? Bit of a random thing to say

Wakeupalready · 22/08/2019 02:16

He's right.
The more children the better , as long as they are contributing and making the world a better place? is the type of attitude that is going to fuck us all. Families who live in the developed world who decide to have big families are flat out selfish, as we consume more resources.

And re an ageing population and a shrinking tax base- migration will be the answer to that, especially from countries which are becoming inhabitable through climate change.

I'd put money on a time coming where there are population controls across the globe, and that prior to that - people who choose to have children irresponsibly - knowing the food, water and resource problems coming, will be increasingly frowned upon.

Overpopulation is the elephant in the room in all climate change conversations, and I think the more high profile individuals that start speaking out about it the better.

No apology owed by Prince Harry at all.

1forAll74 · 22/08/2019 02:17

Harry seems to have turned into a different person since he married Meghan, Her influences have made him into a very serious person now.

He seems to have had some stick this week, but was the golden fun loving guy before/ and just after getting married.

Seahorseshoe · 22/08/2019 02:37

Yet he flies everywhere on a private jet. I don't care if Elton paid for it - and made a contribution to offset the carbon footprint. Is that even a thing, buying back the damage you've caused? Only for the mega rich, who will preach what us mere minions should do, but a totally different set of rules for them.

Hypocrites.

Hundredacrewoods · 22/08/2019 03:22

Children don't have to be 'a drain on resources' if they make educated choices in life.

It is not possible to live in a western country and not be terrible for the environment. At best your environmentally conscious child might be terrible for the environment rather than very terrible.

Mummyshark2019 · 22/08/2019 03:27

I wouldn't listen to a word that comes out of his mouth to be honest. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer!!

1300cakes · 22/08/2019 03:37

I'd put money on a time coming where there are population controls across the globe

Unfortunately I think it will be the opposite. As society begins to breakdown, the thinking that leads people to reduce their family size will go out the window, as will access to contraception. You can see this now - birth rate goes down as countries become richer and more stable, and stays high in poor countries.

1300cakes · 22/08/2019 03:43

Of course the issue of overpopulation is way more complicated than just reduce births here in UK, as growth is coming from other countries.

But its time people like OP give up the idea that their little darlings are so smart and wonderful they are going to grow up and save the planet. They won't. They are just another faceless hungry mouth among billions.

I have dc and I love them, but in the scheme of things they, me and all of us are no more than that.

Fridakahlofan · 22/08/2019 04:04

Yabu

malificent7 · 22/08/2019 04:30

Harry is right on this one im afraid. Of course he's not criticising 3rd and 4th children. Lots of children are not a good thing. Newsflash...humanity is NOT the best thing to have happened to planet earth and i say that as someone who loves her dd very much.

malificent7 · 22/08/2019 04:35

Tbh it is good that Harry isn't the 'fun loving', aka Nazi costume wearing, hot tub frequenting dude any more. He has always cared about issues due to Diana.
Of course the private jet thing is a disgrace but hopefully he will change due to backlash.
People saying he's not bright...well what he says is true on this one. Tbh i cannot understand how ordinary people afford more than 1 child in today's economic climate...even with benefits it's a struggle.

LaurieMarlow · 22/08/2019 04:40

But its time people like OP give up the idea that their little darlings are so smart and wonderful they are going to grow up and save the planet. They won't. They are just another faceless hungry mouth among billions

Amen to this