Is Having Kids in 2025 an Act of Reckless Hope or Stubborn Optimism?

2025-06-26 00:00:20.856

In March 2025, amidst political turmoil and environmental disasters, a mother confesses to the author, "I think I might be the deep state." This anecdote sets the stage for a reflection on the unique challenges of parenthood in the West, particularly for progressives. The author, who has lived and reported on parenting across five continents, challenges the notion that having children in such a tumultuous time is reckless. Instead, she argues that parenting can be a stubborn act of hope, a way of tying oneself to the future and feeling the urgency of climate change, inequality, and injustice. Raising children, she suggests, offers a crash course in progressive values, making abstract political issues deeply personal. The author contrasts the progressive view of parenting with the pronatalist right's focus on traditional family values and the use of childbearing as a political tool. She highlights the neurological changes associated with caregiving, which increase empathy and social understanding, leading to a more engaged and effective political participation. While acknowledging the exhaustion and challenges of parenting, she emphasizes that it doesn't have to distract from political work; instead, it can fuel it. The author cites examples of successful progressive movements driven by parents' demands for better family support policies in various countries. She warns against surrendering the family values agenda to the right and emphasizes the importance of progressives fighting for policies that support families, including paid leave, universal childcare, and affordable healthcare. The author concludes by advocating for a collective ethic of care, where raising children is seen as a shared responsibility, drawing on examples from diverse cultures around the world. The article ultimately argues that while the world faces many challenges, raising a generation capable of rebuilding it is a powerful response.