Overpopulation

[Catholic_Lady]

There is actually hope that the world population of humans will level off in about 50 years and then hopefully come down.  But it won't be soon enough to end the mass extinction event we've precipitated.  Very long term I remain hopeful that life can diversify again if we ever get our numbers down sufficiently.  But so long as people go on thinking of the world as our own personal larder the richness/bio-diversity of the planet is going to be greatly reduced for a very long time .. assuming we don't destroy it outright.

I haven't and never wanted to have children for that reason.  I am always ambivalent about announcements of pregnancies.  But  no good will come of raining on anyones parade, and parenting is tough enough not to support them in bringing their A game.  But my loyalties are with the health of the planet and the full spectrum of life on it.  I do think it is much better to adopt if you have a strong need to imbed yourself in the life cycle of our own species.

We just recently started trying to conceive. I want 2 kids. I feel like if I didn't have any kids I'd regret it bitterly when I got older.

When my maternal grandpa died, my grandma was devastated and falling to pieces. She has since recovered and is very happy, thanks in large part to my aunt (her daughter) who has taken her into her home where she is with family and is well cared for. Same thing happened to my husband's grandma. Her husband died 3 years ago and she just recently moved in with my parents in law. I have another pair of grandparents who are both still alive and able to care for themselves, as of now.

I see my grandparents and seriously, the joy of their life, and the thing that makes them the most happy, is being with their kids and grandkids and great grandkids. That's the highlight of their life right there, apart from being what takes care of them in their old age. I couldn't imagine being old and not having that.