To wonder if people will think more carefully about becoming parents after this?

[OrangeSlide]

Do you think that now people have seen that the shit can hit the fan and they might be solely responsible for the well-being and education of any children they bring into the world, in particular without practical state support in terms of schooling, people might be less inclined to have children?

I wondered this at the start when schools closed and I’ve thought about it more and more as the situation has progressed.

Is the current generation of young parents so lacking in ingenuity that it’s suddenly become “next to impossible”?

The standards for raising children are very, very high in the West. Parents then didn’t break their hearts trying to entertain or educate their kids, they were too busy to care

its not just about the schooling though but more the "shit world" they would be bringing kids into

This is such a shitty take. This is the best era ever to have kids. Poverty has been reduced to astonishingly low levels, education is within reach to far more people than ever, we are safer and more secure than ever before. That a ‘pandemic’ with a very low death rate that doesn’t affect children has scuppered our way of life says a lot about our weakness and decadence as a society actually.

It’s like we appreciate none of this comfort. I fear we are going to go backwards because people believe their own shit.

So many people with the luxury of being able to plan exactly when they have children..

So many people with the luxury of being able to plan exactly when they have children

It’s hard to plan exactly when to have children but for the vast majority of British it’s not at all hard to plan not to have children, which is what the OP was suggesting people would do.

I think it will have the opposite effect- people will think more add long the lines of not knowing what is in store so crack on with having kids. Also my kids have been great company in lockdown (thankfully youngest is 8 so no lockdown with toddlers) and perhaps those who live alone might consider having a child.

Not because of this pandemic, no. But I’m genuinely fearful about the effects of climate change in 50/100 years and its impact. I feel like we are sleepwalking into irreversible disaster and I want to scream. A bit like I felt in February watching covid unfold. I really worry that I shouldn’t have brought my kids into the world as it is in terms of climate and environmental disaster. And hardly anyone cares

Some people will think the world is too scary to bring more children in to. Others will think that lockdown was tough and decide they can't cope with more children. I suspect that applies more to those who already have children. By definition if you are finding homeschooling tough, you already have children of school age. I reckon some people who don't yet have children will think let's get on with it. Social lives have changed so less to miss out on, more time at home may make some people focus on family and feeling like a child would add to their life.

Actually the pandemic had made me reconsider my refusal for baby no3 that DH desperately wants. The lockdown wasn't easy but we got through it. And its focused my mind on what is important i.e. family. We have a tiny family and once our parents die its just me, DH and our DC. I'd like a bigger family. We can easily afford it.

I really worry that I shouldn’t have brought my kids into the world as it is in terms of climate and environmental disaster

Nonsense. The climate is less likely to kill you than ever.

Thanks to world trade, local crop failure won’t lead to starvation in much of the world.

Thanks to heating, bad winters aren’t likely to kill you. Fuel poverty is the more pressing issue actually in terms of saving lives.

Thanks to air conditioning, heat won’t kill you (it usually kills elderly in homes without it).

Thanks to modern infrastructure, hurricanes and tropical storms kill less people than ever before.

Agriculture technology produce drought-resistant strains of crops and more nutrient-rich foods like golden rice. We are far more efficient food producers than ever.

Not sure why there is such fear .....

I think it's a very good question.
It doesn't affect me. I agree freewill be those who fall into the camp of no- I don't want to bring a child into this world. Neither of us want to be sahps so no.
Then others who just plough on as normal.
There have been lots of threads on here about lazy, uninvolved parents. Lockdown has been a real eye opener. Plenty have enjoyed it and spent time educating and caring for their children, doing things as a family.
Others have realised that their Oh is a lazy twat, who constantly trys to get out of any parenting responsibility.
There will be a lot of break ups.

No. There's always been the possibility of some kind of national/international disaster such as a pandemic, war, earthquakes etc. and there always will be. No one would do anything if they based their life choices on that ever-present possibility.

@Applesandpears23

It has put us off having any more! Two in lockdown is hard enough.

I suspect that it might well put people off having lots of children. I get the impression from reading several posts on here from parents who work full time out of the home under normal circumstances that the realisation of being at home with the children 24/7 is very hard work. And they have started to appreciate that being a SAHM isn't usually the easy option.

Some people are being very weird and defensive on here. The OP asked a reasonable question.

I agree. I don't understand the angry answers either

We’re all the product of a long line of people who, until a few decades ago, had no access to reliable contraception. If you had sex, you had babies.

Yes. A lot of posters seem to have missed this point entirely.

Firstly, if lockdown has provided time with your family that you honestly didn’t have before (eg family meals at the table as cited by PP) then there was something wrong with your life. It should not take a pandemic to get a family enjoying each other’s company, and if it does then there is a problem

Well sadi @likeafishneedsabike.

My theory throughout lockdown has been that there will be a massive spike in births in about 9 months time. There's been fuck-all else to do in lockdown!

So these people only have sex when there is nothing better to do?

What an awful world to bring kids into. It was way worse during the slave trade, when women didn't have the vote, during the holocaust, during the Spanish flu etc so I don't know why you think this is the worst. The world has never been all sunshine and daisies. Maybe for you if you've had such a charmed life that you think this is so awful.

@WaterOffADucksCrack

What an awful world to bring kids into. It was way worse during the slave trade, when women didn't have the vote, during the holocaust, during the Spanish flu etc so I don't know why you think this is the worst. The world has never been all sunshine and daisies. Maybe for you if you've had such a charmed life that you think this is so awful.

This is now turning into the Four Yorkshiremen sketch

For most people this is an awful world compared to 5 years ago, for example.

I regret being a single parent to two toddlers and working from home during a pandemic.

Doesn't mean I wish I didn't have them, older children would be a cinch to look after for me after this baptism of fire. I know I can cope now, even if it's been hard. I'd love another one but I don't think that will happen for me unfortunately.

I agree with DDIJ! People are responsible for their own children without free schooling in other countries so when education isn't an option, we are and should be responsible for our children.

This pandemic has reinforced my wish to have an only child. Cos the pandemic has shown me that nothing is really secure and it's very risky to ' wing' things. I would rather have 1 and be able to save more money for times like this. A lot of people assume that they would be able to afford their ideal families if they worked harder and maximised their earnings. Well the pandemic has thrown that out of the window- if the government shuts down the economy for 3 months, thats something you can't control.

I might not be so lucky to work from home next time

I love the idea of people having kids to have a bit of company during lockdown

Surely they'd just get a cat?

Ginfordinner I didn't know what the Yorkshireman thing was so I had to google it! Well before my time!

I just don't see how this is awful comparatively to many other time in history. And for some life has always been tough. For me the pandemic is nothing compared to 5 years ago when I found myself pregnant after my ex raped me and nearly killed me. And I've been working with the virus. It depends what your life has been like.

I think with with more time at home, less activities available, less jet setting around the world - people will want to go back to traditional family life.

I think more people will add to their families and more people will start families because this pandemic will show people that love and family bonds are what makes life worth living - not instagrammable holidays, endless evenings out, excessive spending and all the other capitalist/consumerist activities we have come to value to highly.

Everyone I know seems to be pregnant at the moment and mostly accidental. Apparently people do become more fertile in times of famine, war and disease.

I was 9 weeks pregnant when we went into lockdown, so the antenatal care has not been what I would have expected but we're not put off considering having a second in the future.

DH and my childhoods' had some difficult challenges at times, there's always going to be something bad going on in the world so it's not changed anything for us.

Everyone I know seems to be pregnant at the moment and mostly accidental. Apparently people do become more fertile in times of famine, war and disease.
I can't speak about those you know, but "accidental" pregnancy seems be more the norm on MN than planned.

instagrammable holidays, endless evenings out, excessive spending and all the other capitalist/consumerist activities we have come to value to highly

Yah but I really do miss all of that 🤷‍♀️

I think when people have had children, the thought of a pandemic happening and schools closing hasn’t crossed their minds. Did it cross your mind op?

It feels like you are judging people for relying on their children being educated mainly at school over them doing it.

People might be more aware that shit can hit the fan now, but I don’t think people will stop having children. This isn’t an apocalypse where the world is falling apart.

It's put me off having anymore. I have two (twins) and it's been difficult.