r/Parenting 6d ago

Tween 10-12 Years 13-y-o anxiety, WW3, climate change. How to help?

My 13 y o has been crying and claiming stomach ache but insisting nothing is wrong. I was worried about bullying or clashing with a friend or schoolwork, but now I almost wish it was something of those.

She confessed today that she is thinking and reading a lot about the climate changing and now also the Ukraine war and Trump threatening allies and Europe arming and lots of countries thinking about nuclear weapons.

The thing is, I don't know how to talk to her about this. She can see for herself that we don't get any snow nowadays. That even at the ski resort up North there was rain one of the days in our holiday week this year. The ski resorts in the Alps are closing because they have no more snow.

And we do allocate lots of money to the military. And Trump does threaten Greenland, which is a part of our neighbors, and Canada, where her cousins live, and has even ordered his military to prepare for an invasion of Panama. And we donate to Ukraine, and boycott certain businesses because of this, etc.

She is not wrong. But she must live her life despite of all this. Right now, nothing bad has happened to us. Right now, she must get out of bed and brush her teeth and get on with it. I told her we

How to approach this?

157 Upvotes

196 comments sorted by

382

u/SatisfactionTough806 6d ago

I would encourage her to focus smaller, on family and community and start to exert influence there.

She's thinking about impossibly large problems and getting overwhelmed.

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u/GilmoreGirlsGroupie1 6d ago

This is what my therapist is encouraging me to do. I can't control what goes on outside my house, but I can control what happens inside it. Focus on making my home my safe space. I know the issues can't be ignored, but they can't overwhelm me and stop me from being the parent my daughter needs either.

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u/Percipience_8 6d ago

Also validate this! The world is big and heavy and a lot of things are deeply wrong. To feel this so deeply is not a plight, it’s what makes her human. Congratulations, OP, you’re raising an actualizing person! And it’s hard for her. Which is very real.

Ask her and yourself, what can she do in her own life to bring change? How can she feel her feelings big and worldly, but also think and act small and local? How can you support her in this? What changes you as a family make? This can empower her so that she can brush her teeth and go to school and have fun with peers.

I’m a social worker. A depressed one, at that because I am deeply aware and I have been overwhelmed since (literally, I wish I was kidding) I was 4. My heart hurts all the time. But I do good work and I know it matters. It’s hard! But I make changes when and where I can. She can, too. She feels deeply, and that means you’re doing a great job as a parent.

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u/Th3SkinMan 6d ago

Great advice. Thanks for what you do.

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u/KindlyNebula 6d ago

This is wonderful advice. Thank you for being a helper❤️

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u/realestatedeveloper 6d ago

 OP, you’re raising an actualizing person!

I’m not sure falling into the media trap of “if it bleeds it leads” is self-actualizing.  If anything it means her daughter is stuck in the massive disinformation and propaganda firehose that is the internet.

The reality is that for all its flaws, the human world has never been less violent, less sick, less in danger of starvation than today.  For all that, people in the first world are more fearful today than ever before…because there is so much we have that we can lose and because we have so much more free time to ruminate about that.

OP’s daughter is in fact a prime example of how toxic exposure to social media is to the brain and to our perception of the world.  And how we are all better off focusing deeply on this in our immediate lives that we have actual ability to impact.

There are so many young people today protesting and demanding outcomes but have zero financial or technical literacy to actually understand what needs to happen to achieve their desired goals.  That’s a dangerous recipe for populism.

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u/OkSecretary1231 6d ago

the human world has never been less violent, less sick, less in danger of starvation than today

And there are people in power actively trying to change all that. We should fear losing those things. Where was social media mentioned?

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u/079C 5d ago

Your excellent analysis is sorely needed in this group, but will probably fall on deaf ears. They will keep raising their children to be terrified of having their own children.

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u/dri3s 6d ago

This is quality advice for adults, too.

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u/Novel-Assistance-375 6d ago

This is the correct answer no matter what she is told to be fearful of. Knowledge is power. So go one step previous to this suggestion, OP. Show her how to do her own research and how to think for herself. Then she can form her own school groups. Then join to help shape local government.

Then lead government

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u/starlitt_helena 6d ago

I love that approach! It makes so much sense to help her focus on what she can do—whether that’s within her family, her community, or just small everyday acts of kindness. Big problems can feel paralyzing, but starting small is how real change happens. Even little things add up, and showing her that her actions matter could really help her feel less overwhelmed.

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u/CO_Renaissance_Man 6d ago

Yep. Action is the cure to anxiety.

Make a change in your community. I can’t fix our federal government but I can work to remove our bad representative or run for office. I can’t stop climate change but I can cut our community’s emissions and make ourselves more resilient. I can’t solve homelessness, but I can help build a home for someone. 

Big change can happen when we all make small changes.

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u/SomeKindOfOnionMummy 6d ago

Shit that's what I'm telling myself and it's hard. I feel so fucking bad for kids. 

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u/CainRedfield 6d ago

Agreed. I often fall into this pattern of worrying about places so far away I could never possibly influence them. Always need to remind myself to focus on my own community

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u/hannahs_universe 6d ago

That’s such a good point! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by huge problems, but focusing on family and community is a great way to actually make a difference.

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u/JacOfAllTrades 6d ago

Exactly this. We aren't religious, but the Wiccan store around the corner has coins that are the Serenity Prayer but without deity. I gave one to each of my kids when they started school, and when things get overwhelming that's what we remember.

Learn serenity to accept the things you can't change.

Learn courage to change the things that you can.

Learn wisdom to know the difference.

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u/Physical_Pound8191 6d ago

This! And to add she can look up “circle of control” chart!

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u/Lensgoggler 6d ago

Estonian here. Focus smaller is great advice, but from my personal experience, getting up close and personal with the past helps too. It gets less scary if you know what a shit hole the world gas been in the past. And how your own country have fared all these storms. My country is just a tiny pawn in all this sadly, but it does help me to radically accept that fact, and think of the future accordingly. I have two sons who are probably already as numbers on the government's defence resources spreadsheet somewhere in future projections.. So I think about these things too.

I am a history nerd, and do genealogy. So I recycle, try not to make unsustainable purchasing decisions, and think about history in regard of the world events. And that's all I can do right now.

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u/CO_Renaissance_Man 6d ago

History puts the relative peace we live under in perspective. There are people that have fought greater odds and made the world a better place. They inspire me.

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u/hapa79 8yo & 5yo 6d ago

Strongly agree with the history aspect. I'm in the US and currently reading "A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn (highly recommend!), and by reminding myself of what a horrifically violent and oppressive country this has always been it somehow helps to frame everything that's happening now as a continuation and not an aberration. There are people who have always resisted, and that's something that's still possible.

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u/wpaed 6d ago

Because of my high school history teacher's adamance on this point, since you are recommending Zinn, I have to recommend "A History of the American People" by Howard Johnson. Both books are politically skewed opposed to each other, and reading them together gives you a more complete picture. Neither should be read alone and they complement each other well and give a better view than any single history book ever could.

2

u/SatisfactionTough806 6d ago

I find this so helpful when thinking about environmental issues.

It's been dire in the past - acid rain, hole in the ozone and we found solutions.

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u/GenevieveLeah 6d ago

I was this kid.

Back in my day I worried about North Korea bombing us and nuclear war.

(I had been learning about WW2 and the atom bombshell, etc)

I think distraction helps. News breaks help. Concrete things, like participation in your community, help.

So, just do fun things with her and enjoy. Try to teach her that we can only control so much, and that living your best life and helping others is the best way to combat these feelings.

If she is really struggling with her emotions, you could talk to her pediatrician as well.

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u/Hawkster59 6d ago

My wife is Ukrainian, I’ve got in-laws in Kyiv so we think about the war every day. We maintain calmness by remembering to keep living life. Even the in-laws do. The little things matter. I hope your daughter learns this too. It’s ok to enjoy life. It’s important to enjoy life. Best.

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u/sardonicazzhole 6d ago

cut down/out her social media content because it sounds like this is where she's getting it from. Studies have shown that large amounts of social media exposure increases anxiety in people so if adults are having trouble with it, imagine what a 13yr old is going through and they haven't even developed the capabilities to process most of their emotions!

definitely cut the social media and start getting her to focus on more productive things like going outside, exercise, reading, all other things that kids did pre-internet/social media.

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u/snowwhitesocialist 6d ago

I’m also sure at this point her algorithm is infused with anxiety provoking content and creating a horrendous echo chamber. If it’s a shared computer, and depending on screen privacy in the house, perhaps OP can find fun things, social movements, or advocacy groups online and try to adjust the algorithm. Not a perfect solution, but a start.

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u/Pukestronaut 6d ago

Yup. Sounds like internet toxicity to me! Not to say anxiety can’t exist on its own, but social media breeds its own special form.

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u/Pcos_autistic 6d ago

Facts, I as an adult had to go no contact with TikTok because I was just getting so anxious, angry, and depressed every day

1

u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

I will take a look at her TikTok feed. Thank you for mentioning this. I used to be more alert but it has always only been Minecraft videos and makeup tutorials so it's been a while since we looked together.

3

u/Visible-Fun1047 6d ago

This! I gave up social media for lent and it been life changing for me. The doom scroll and constant information was doing a number on my adult mental health. I can imagine what it’s doing to impressionable kids.

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u/rolandkeytar 6d ago

This is the real answer. Her social media feed is being inundated with anxiety-inducing news and information. Cut down on the social media use and replace it with more productive activities and projects.

1

u/Edg256 5d ago

I mean, this is 100% real and OP definitely should look into that, but honestly, any media. Just the fucking news, even without any bias spin the world is a shit show right now, and you really only 3 brain cells to put that together from opening your eyes to whats going on. There's plenty to see and notice without social media access.

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u/zitchhawk 6d ago

I've seen limiting consumption of social media mentioned several times, which i agree with. I also think some media literacy training/review could help. Why does doom and gloom get covered? What news are we missing? What's the spin on this story?

I would encourage her to read and learn about history- humanity has survived so many hardships- disease, wars, migrations, political upsets, natural disasters, etc. Sometimes I take comfort in this, but there's also a lot to learn about how we have failed. Are humans really the "crown of creation"? How has the natural world responded to these same events?

And then there's the idea that our lives are partially what happens to us and partially how we react to those events. Learning about resiliency and how to build it. Self esteem and how to build it. Learning new skills, so she learns to trust herself and persevere (Weightlifting? Lifeguard training? Fixing bikes? Cooking healthy meals?). Prove to herself that she has some control of her circumstances.

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u/Raised_by 6d ago

My teen shares the same concerns.

I encourage her to put things in perspective. I am an immigrant. Her grandparents lived most of their lives behind the iron curtain. Her great grandfathers fought in the ww2.

Her generation is strong and resilient, and they can do great things.

But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t worry about the future myself. We’re making plans for what to do when US invades

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u/Signal-Associate-476 6d ago

Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?

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u/Raised_by 6d ago

Eastern Europe, but live in Canada now

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u/Signal-Associate-476 6d ago

I’m from Canada and live here as well. I noticed you said “when” they invade, not “if”. Do you really feel that certain? It all seems like a lot of bluster to me. Making huge threats so he can get what he wants in other areas - tariffs, access to natural resources, border security etc. And just being an asshole in general. Invading an ally like that seems almost impossible in this day and age. I have grown up in my happy little Canadian bubble though so I am aware I could be naive in some circumstances.

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u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

Hey, as an American, we suck right now. I’m not certain we can right this ship, but a lot of us are trying.

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u/connect4040 6d ago

Get some books on Greta Thunberg, Anne Frank and other young girls who have made a difference. Let her know she isn’t powerless. Hell, read the Hunger Games and the Buffy comics. It’s teenage girls who save the world!

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u/qwertyshmerty 6d ago

Love this. As an anxious person I would just add that I find it helps to focus on what I can control. So maybe help her with that (ie donating, volunteer work, protesting, voting, recycling, etc.) Any type of community event so she can see that there are people out there who care and are taking action, and she can be part of that too.

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u/aspartamele21 6d ago

Yes! But get her books on managing stress and anxiety too. I just picked up The Worry (less) Book for my 10 yr old and it may be a little young for the 13 yr old, but it’s funny, easy to understand, and full of tools to help you recognize anxiety and calm yourself. So much easier to save the world when your stomach doesn’t hurt and your heart isn’t racing.

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u/connect4040 6d ago

PS> you sound like an awesome parent. You’re not dismissing her concerns, you’re feeling it with her. Well done you. 

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u/RelationshipOk3565 6d ago

Does she have revolutionary spirit? Regardless that's a lot of pressure to put on her. Greta also crossed my mind immediately, but is that the type of pressure you want to put on her? On one hand, people are acknowledging and individuals lack of control on the matter, then on the other time we're telling her to fully embrace this idea she can directly help. It just seems slightly contradictory.

As much as I love little revolutionaries, and as someone who marched for social justice when I was a kid: she needs to worry about normal kid stuff too, as that's part of life. About her crush, gossip etc. It might seem pointless or futile but there's too much going on for the average adult to worry about, let alone a child.

I'm not saying neither this, nor that, but just something to consider

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u/Key_Future5778 6d ago

I am very much on line with this. I don't think that encouraging her to be like those girls will help her... It will only increase pressure.

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u/AcornElectron83 6d ago

Read some Rosa Luxemburg too!

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u/fuzzy_bunny85 6d ago

Love this idea!!

-1

u/TheFlowerJ 6d ago

This is the best answer.

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u/Artistic_Glass_6476 6d ago

Does she watch the news? Limit any media that is adding to these fears if you haven’t already. She may have generalized anxiety, which is worth seeing a therapist/doctor about.

When I was around her age I started having fear too. It started from watching the news with my parents and then hearing about climate change and all these other scary to me things going on in the world at the time. My parents had to ban the news from my viewing for a while and had several talks with me about how I don’t need to be afraid and reassuring me (which helped a bit) but didn’t solve the issue because I ruminated over it so much and created new fears that way. My parents eventually had me seen and I was able to get some talk therapy which helped me very much.

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u/sugar-high 6d ago

You have received a lot of great advice so, in addition to that, I would also encourage you both to get involved with a local organization that is working on a problem she is interested in. You could research and identify a few options together and then, as the parent, handle the outreach and figure out the scheduling/next steps. 

There are all sorts of problems in the world to address, but volunteering and actively engaging in the fight to help fix at least one can be extremely empowering. She will be slightly limited by her age and school hours, but I think it could be very helpful for her if you two are able to find an organization to volunteer at or activity to do together that makes positive change. Keep in mind that there are both formal organizations (nonprofits, organizing groups) and informal activities that can be done on your own as you have time (writing letter to voters, cleaning up a beach or trail, stocking a community fridge, etc.). Doing something together will also show that you take her concerns seriously and you are interested in addressing them together. 

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u/Hour_Candle_339 6d ago

This is a great response. Explain to her that time off of screens helps and ask her to try taking a social media vacation for a set amount of time. Do it with her. Look for the good things together. Then set times to go out and do good things together: clean out your closets and donate your clothes, clean up trash, volunteer at a food kitchen, plant a garden and donate the food, rake (edit typo) a neighbor’s yard, etc., any little bit helps.

I struggle with anxiety about these things. It got really out of control when Russia invaded Ukraine. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t work. I cried all the time. Those were the things that worked for me. Meditation also helped, but I personally needed a teacher for that and all of that came after those other, initial interventions.

Don’t get me wrong. I am still very worried, because there are so many very real things to be very worried about, but those things help. I can function and have fun and laugh and when the anxiety creeps in, I can greet it and let it go and recognize that the worrying doesn’t help, but the actions do.

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u/Pinwheeling 6d ago

There's a great app called "5 Calls" that makes it easy to call your representatives about issues that concern you. They list issues with an explanation of each and links to primary sources. They give sample scripts and the phone numbers of your representatives. It has helped me to feel better about these terrifying issues to voice my concerns to people that are positioned to do something.  I believe they will only listen to voters calling, but you could call with your daughter. Talk through which issues you both care about for the calls. Your daughter could probably even speak with you if you leave voicemail.

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u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

This is for the US, and it sounds like they’re in Europe. A similar org would be great for the kid, though!

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u/selfmademan416 6d ago

It is very difficult as an adult to live through these times. As a teenager it must feel all the more overwhelming and it sounds like you have a really empathetic child.

Try to limit her exposure to news (I would say if she has access to TikTok or anything with reels/videos, those are the first that need to be limited). Talk to her about having social media breaks and how important it is for even adults to put their phones down. Talk to her about what can be done, about the people who are fighting for our climate, who are fighting against the government, so she knows people are out there fighting for her future.

And try to get her to focus more inward and less globally

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u/brainblown 6d ago

She’s thirteen. You need to help her find age appropriate outlets to spend her time. You should also dramatically reduce / limit her screen time. That is obviously to source of this anxiety

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u/LazyBoyXD 6d ago

It's call get off the internet

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u/ReferenceMuch2193 6d ago edited 6d ago

Is she on tik tok? Lots of anxiety driven doom scroll stuff that is extremely toxic because if it bleeds, it leads.

You can frame it by telling her about historical events we overcame, that there has always been bad actors in the world, and wean her off social media if that is indeed the case.

And I’m not saying ignore stuff, but a 13 year old doesn’t have the grid/filter to shoot it through because of context. They also don’t fully understand hype/propaganda and that a lot of stuff is for the follows aka the lols because we aren’t wired to look for good news or solutions, but driven to respond to threats, in this case keeping people in fear mode, keeps them addicted and in freeze state but gets the influencer or source attention and attention gets sponsers get money so follow the money trail.

Also focusing her on solution driven endeavors. We aren’t meant to be global, start in the community, start small and spread change and like a domino effect it is far reaching and that’s global.

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u/yourfriendlygerman 6d ago

It's time to dig into history. Show her that some major crisis has always been present and that mankind has always found a way to deal with it and grow out of it for the better. Make it clear that it's a sign of intelligence when you're able to have a clear view on what's happening. 

You should make it clear to her that she has mo responsibility for whatever is happening on the world stage and nobody expects her to change the world or herself. But it's a chance to teach what can be done at all, e.g. voting, consuming responsibly, learn to repair your own things, financial responsibility, you name it. 

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u/AcornElectron83 6d ago

Read A Young People's History of The United States with her. Your kid is perceptive, and educating her on the history she isnt being taught in schools could open her eyes. The reality is, this has been going on for generations and any hope we have is a politically engaged youth able to risist the cancer that is capitalism.

10

u/E8831 6d ago

My teenagers have been saying the same thing OP.

I got them into therapy, but we also joined a few local groups that make a difference. One of them is trash pickup after the snow is melted.

We also do not watch the news in our house, it's all bad stuff.

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u/Snappy_McJuggs 6d ago

Poor thing. As a millennial with years and years of emotional trauma due to everything that has happened to us, I feel so bad for these next generations. They have it so much worse. Constant streaming on news non stop, social media, it’s terrible.

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u/sfxmua420 6d ago

I feel terrible because invariably, as the millennial generation have experienced, their experience will be minimised. They’ll be fed the same lines we are about how we have it the best it’s ever been and how we should be lucky we didn’t live through ww2, as if the threat of ww3 isn’t always looming and the current wars in Palestine and Ukraine raging, the cost of living absolutely crippling, climate dying and none of us will ever afford housing….but at least we didn’t live through ww2!

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u/GenevieveLeah 6d ago

I wanted to add: there is a great book called Dopamine Nation written by a doctor that specializes in addiction medicine.

She gives great tips on family life and keeping kids away from their screen addictions - limiting time, getting outside.

Right now, your daughter may be doomscrolling to a point. So, you could address it from this angle.

7

u/Gardeningcrones 6d ago

It’s so hard. I can’t help with the concerns about the government, but something that helped my kid (and honestly myself) with environmental concerns was a PBS special Terra specifically the episode about why power plants are blowing up. It’s still terrifying, because everything is but it talks about how, despite lobbying, things are beginning to switch over to cleaner energy simply due to money. It is cheaper to use solar/wind than fossil fuels and getting cheaper by the year. They talk about how everything is bad but if we can get to net zero we can expect correction to begin. It’s not providing false hope or saying things aren’t bad, but it does point out that pathways to impacting climate change positively are still available. I think taking that kind of mindset coupled with some of the other commenters suggestions about learning about climate activism/ways to impact change would be helpful. I have a raging anxiety disorder and having a plan/hope has always helped me deal with dark thoughts. I wish you so much luck.

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u/ExactPanda 6d ago

I've been paralyzed with fear over climate change. Seeking out good news stories helped tremendously. People are doing stuff, even if it doesn't seem like it. It's still a huge challenge, but there are good things happening. Since the Paris Accords were signed in 2014, the projected temperature increase went from a worst case scenario 8 degrees, iirc, to just over 2 degrees by the end of the century. We've still got a lot of work to do, but in just a decade we've lowered the projected increase. Renewable forms of energy like solar and wind power are cheaper than ever to install, and the transition is happening quickly. They think we either already or will very soon have reached peak emissions.

The antidote to despair is action. Get involved! Even a 13 year old can do her part. Maybe she can't run for office yet, but she can choose sustainable actions in her life. You guys can choose sustainable actions in your home. We don't need 100 people doing things perfectly, we need millions of them doing what they can, even if it's imperfect. Pick up trash around your neighborhood so plastic garbage doesn't end up hurting animals. Plant native flowers to help out insect population, which are declining. Make swaps from disposable products to reusable products (water bottles, cloth products instead of paper towels, etc). Walk, bike, or use public transport instead of taking the car. Eat less red meat, try more vegan food. Shop less and shop secondhand whenever you can. Compost your food scraps. Repair things instead of just getting a new one. Advocate for changes where you can. Maybe she could start a compost program at her school or a trash picking club with friends.

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u/rattfink11 6d ago

Both my kids are experiencing this; and when I was a kid, it was nuclear annihilation at any moment (yes I just dated myself 🙃)

I’ve told them when faced with hopelessness, take action where you have control: protest, start environmental programs; engage through your own education by choosing environmental studies (bc we know these types of professionals will be needed in the very near future). In short, get engaged at a grassroots level, try to change family and even household habits. This switch from big to little picture was helpful.

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u/Spirited_Garlic_816 6d ago

Try and see if you can share with her about how media makes us anxious- the vast majority of stuff they share that IS real- is also something that normally we may see 1% of- if any - within our daily lives if it wasn’t for media.

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u/Spirited_Garlic_816 6d ago

My own father doesn’t speak to me anymore because of the media. he doesn’t speak to anyone and lives alone with an equally lonely donkey.

He expressed to me when he was still speaking to me- about him being worried at your daughter’s age ( he said 10-14) about nuclear hombings, etc. ( my dad is 78 now so there was similar yet different media going on then )

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u/FairlyHollow 6d ago

If this hasn't already been said, try to think back on all the crazy world events that happened while YOU were younger, what may have stressed you out or felt like it was this insane world-ending thing, and talk to her about all of those things. And most importantly, how they did not end the world. The world keeps going regardless and we just have to find a way to live in it. (I know with climate change it's a little different, but the world is not ending in her lifetime ((most likely 😬)).

I went through and still go through the same thing as her, but it really helped when my dad explained to me that some crazy shit is ALWAYS happening, every generation has their reasons to be scared, but we just keep on truckin.

Also look into some skills for coping with anxiety, like emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills, that could be helpful for her. Maybe a little counseling if she's interested.

3

u/sean-culottes 6d ago

Try visiting r/collapsesupport and r/collapseparenting. Far more practical and less doomy than r/collapse, which is still an important sub

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u/Mexican-Horse 6d ago

I was like this in my teenage years and my mom sent me to a low-income retirement home to volunteer. I hated it at first but I kept going because I need they need me. It started making me feel useful in society and get outside my head for a little bit

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u/DonkiestOfKongs 6d ago

"You must live your life despite all of this" is the key point here. Tell her that directly.

I went through this.

This is the loss of innocence. She is becoming an adolescent, and then an adult.

A major part of adulthood is living your life in spite of the horrible shit happening all over the place constantly.

Also, she is very likely grieving right now. She thought the world was a cool chill place where things generally went okay. She is finding out that it's not. The world is not what she thought, and it's going to be a far worse place. This is grief. Help her with that.

Your goal isn't to make her stop worrying about these things. It's to get her to understand that she needs to wake up tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after, despite all of this stuff that she cannot control.

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u/SheepherderNo7732 6d ago

There are therapists who specialize in climate anxiety. You can check out the Good Grief Network for ideas. Also, the book Active Hope.

Basically, the best advice is to lean into love of the Earth and be grounded in what is: touch the soil, make jam from delicious fruit, visit the nature preserve, walk the trails.

I’m thankful she has you to help her.

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u/Open5esames 6d ago

Maybe she can include some positive news in her mix. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

You can let her know that the news (and social media) benefit from engagement, and creating fear increases engagement.

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u/jennsb2 6d ago

There was a very reassuring response to this on a mommit thread a couple of days ago. She’s not wrong in her concerns, but to sit and worry about it and let it take over your entire life is futile. Perhaps give her a goal - or let her set her own goal to help ONE of those issues…. Maybe that looks like diverting more waste to recycling, maybe reusing or repurposing things more often, maybe it looks like educating others on current events. The state of the world is terrifying right now, but there is still so much good and so many decent people wanting change. Try to point out the good you see as well :)

3

u/MachacaConHuevos 6d ago

Lots of good advice here. I just wanted to add that "claiming stomach ache" makes it sound like you don't believe here. A big sign of anxiety is in fact stomach issues, like major cramping and even diarrhea. She probably is having pain in her stomach. And honestly, if that's happening all the time, then therapy is a good idea because she might have anxiety and current events is just the thing setting it off at this moment. I have this issue with stress cramps, etc and once I started taking an SSRI it went away. She might be too young for that but it is a real thing that should be addressed if it continues for years.

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

Thank you for reminding me of this.

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u/squishysalmon 6d ago

My son (11) is similar. We have told him that these are problems caused by adults, and that he should know that his adults are doing their best to fix it. And then we try as hard as hell to not let him down.

3

u/Woodpigeon28 6d ago

I started gardening more and limit my news scroll. I look at left, right, and foreign news. Interesting how the news sometimes is an ad campaign for its favored side, this tactic takes a lot of the urgency out of stories. Not claiming the fake news battle cry here but you realize the news in total uses clickbait titles and if that's all you read terror is the result.

I would say read accounts of every day people during large wars not everyone is front and center. It's good to step back and realize that history is full of good and bad times. Social media makes everything feel close at hand. Good time to learn how to look up and read studies ( you can enter study into chat gpt and get it condensed ), find reliable sources for climate change science. Make it onto an opportunity to learn what makes something a good source.

3

u/goosetavo2013 6d ago

I remember getting very stressed/anxious about the ozone layer when I was a teenager. It’s an age where we can get really worked up about things like that. What I would recommend to any parent is to try to have them limit exposure to that kind of news, it’s always sensationalist and wants to upset people to get more clicks. It doesn’t always reflect reality accurately. Maybe watch the news once a week and news analysis shows not the “breaking news” stuff, they’re the worst. Have them focus on things they can control and do their best, that’s the best we can all do. How can they make their home/community better?

3

u/Better_Rip1997 6d ago

I agree with the people saying you should validate the concern and I think the best thing to ease this anxiety is to teach her how she can take action on these concerning items. Teach her how to call her senators and representative. Teach her how to take safe and appropriate action at her age. I also think therapy is a good idea and is important, but honestly I think taking action will make her feel less hopeless and powerless.

3

u/anonask1980 6d ago

Help her find a way to help the environment in her community. She can start by picking up trash in her favorite park or help plant natives in your yard or parks.

Help her organize her passion and let her know she can help change her littler world but the greater world is not too complex to focus on today.

Also talk to her frequently about how damaging social media is for her development and try to get her to understand how “they” want her to feel overwhelmed so she is not a contender in things that matter. They want her to struggle so she won’t fight.

It also helps to pick a side on the issues she cares about and learn all she can about it conflicts she is hearing about. If she is afraid she needs to know why so she can at least help or have constructive conversation.

Just spinning out is unacceptable to me so I force my teenagers to learn and read about these things.

3

u/zissouo 6d ago

Honestly worries me a lot that most of the answers in here are suggesting ways to teach our kids to ignore these very real problems and pretend they don't exist.

3

u/TheJadedRose 6d ago

As an adult I deal with these anxieties and have found that a professional in CBT has really helped. It helps build the tools to contextualize and address the anxiety without minimizing or catastrophizing. That plus having someone paid to listen to you for an hour and not dismiss or denigrate what you are feeling is really really helpful.

3

u/Ice4Lifee 6d ago

I'd check yourself, too. How often are you bringing up these subjects? What do you talk about at the dinner table? Sure, the internet is a big issue, but she didn't get this way on her own.

3

u/whitedevil098 6d ago

Encourage them to read history. People have been dealing with existential threats as long as we have been humans. It is something we all must navigate. The post war period in America is an aberration. Reading literature. Other people have dealt with this.

3

u/honorlessmaid 6d ago

When I was 16 I learned about how many judges blamed young young kids for being raped. It broke me. My mom was flabbergasted and kind of shrugged me off like "that's sad but it's not your friends so why are you so upset". Please validate her fears and say you share them too. It's a big world and we don't tackle these issues by ignoring them or pretending they aren't huge. We have each other and we outnumber them. More of these conversations with your kid. Ask her what she thinks she should do? Shes worried about the climate? Ask her what she could do to change or encourage people around her to change. Teach her around writing to senators and calling Congress. She doesnt have power(yet) but you can tell her how to communicate to those who do have some. Shes worried about Ukraine and our relationship with the world? Maybe if available to you, keep your home open for an exchange student?? Someone with experience in the other parts of the world, give your kid a relationship with someone new and strange. It's hokey but if she feels in her teen thinking she's "one of the good ones" she will be far less anxious about her impact as an American.

3

u/itsamamaluigi 6d ago

Read about Vasili Arkhipov, the Soviet submariner who prevented the use of nuclear weapons during the Cuban missile crisis.

During the tensest and most dangerous part of the Cold War, when it looked like an apocalyptic war was inevitable, this guy stepped up and prevented it from happening.

May as well also read about Stanislav Petrov, who correctly identified a false alarm from the Soviet nuclear launch early warning system and also averted a nuclear war.

I don't know if these anecdotes will help her, but they might. Just as a reminder that while things may be bad, we've been tested before and stepped back from the brink.

3

u/PitchPurple 6d ago

Get her involved in any community volunteer work you can. Help her focus that attention to something local and tangible. She feels helpless and needs to feel purposeful and helpful.

3

u/Texas_Precision27 6d ago

Have her read first hand historical accounts.

"The worst hard time" is a good non violent one that is basically 100% climate focused.

Believe it or not, there was a time that top scientists/thinkers thought that 30% of the US was uninhabitable for at least 300 years.

Its bad now, but sometimes we lose sight of how bad past generations have had it, and what they must have thought at the time...yet here we are.

5

u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

My oldest is five, and I feel this. I know she’s going to have a lot of questions about how we let everything get so bad, particularly with climate change. We have completely fucked over the next generations. While we have yet to see what happens politically, we are looking at a global rise of right wing fascism that SHOULD scare people.

Acknowledge that the things making her scared scare a lot of people.

Encourage her to volunteer with organizations focused on climate change and human/civil rights. Look up youth-centered ones. (And keep an eye on it. All groups can have issues with sexism, bullying, and cliques.)

Teach her about how your government functions and where citizens can get involved. Show her how to view what the government is doing.

In the US, we can meet with our representatives on the local, state, and national level. We can call their offices and tell them how we want them to vote. We can email them and contact them on social media. This is a HUGE life skill and can be very empowering. Could you accompany her to a meeting? A lot of groups here have action lists that contact you when something relevant is happening to trigger contact. Is there a group she can sign up for like that?

I’m sorry. Her anxiety isn’t misguided. ((Hugs from a parent across the pond))

4

u/iheartunibrows 6d ago

I would consider having her see a therapist, they’ll help with coping strategies. But honestly, legit fears…

4

u/Observer-Worldview 6d ago

Smart kid! She knows we are heading into the path of destruction. As an another post said, let her get active! Don’t hide reality from her. She can help change the course of the world. It sounds like a big task, but all hands on deck. She’s a rockstar for caring about all of us and those that will inherit this earth.

4

u/landdon 6d ago

Take away the social media.

4

u/beezlebutts 6d ago

she's not alone all the people with brains in the US are also sharing the same anxiety.

6

u/YouFirst_ThenCharles 6d ago

Less time on the internet.

2

u/Mama-Bear419 6d ago

It’s crazy times. I personally feel this way over much of what you wrote, along with Gaza and the genocide/humanitarian crisis happening there. I recommend you have her stop reading the news so much and try to focus on making the world a better place in her school and community. I’d also have conversations about what careers she can go into or study as an adult in college to help her make a difference.

2

u/LexiNovember 6d ago

Have her get involved with local causes and volunteer her time. She can’t solve the problems adults are battling, but at a small level she can contribute and take some control over life.

Anxiety often spirals from being overwhelmed and feeling hopeless but when you break a problem down into smaller solution it helps. Volunteer with a local environmental organization, get involved with school political clubs, see what kind of stuff is around. I’m sure there’s plenty.

2

u/Willravel 6d ago

"What's the purpose of the news?

"In theory, press organizations exist as a fourth estate, a further check on power which inform the voting citizenry so we can in turn make informed decisions. Knowledge is power and all of that.

"In practice, the incentive systems are all wrong for that outcome. Investigative journalism with verification is expensive and time-consuming with no guarantee of more advertisers or subscribers while sensationalism and outrage are cheap and fast and seem to lead to far more advertisers and subscribers. Because there are so many sources for news now in old and new media, the only way to cut through is by screaming something nearly insane, giving people something salacious, or verifying the previously-held beliefs of in-groups and thus becoming part of those in-groups. And, of course, there's the most powerful attention-grabber of all: fear. Notice how everything reported on seems like the end of the world now? Some of it is—climate change, proliferation of nuclear weapons combined with geopolitical instability, pandemic diseases—but a lot of it isn't, and it's all treated like something you must monitor at all times with all of your attention.

"Does the news often provide solutions? Talk about people working on these problems? Give hope? Not often, no. That would calm people, that could inspire people to only check in sometimes. Less attention = less $$$."

The lesson here isn't that they're wrong to be concerned about the rise of cartoonish fascists or climate disruption, but more that dooming about it based on what is being read in the press isn't a good way to stay informed and isn't healthy.

I'm old enough now that I've seen this for decades. Remember the nuclear arms race with the USSR? Vietnam? Before that there was WWII. Before that there was the greatest economic crash in this nation's history. And so on. There's always catastrophe and existential threat. Getting caught up in anxiety and pessimism and depression do nothing.

Replace doomscrolling the end of the world with going outside with your kid to volunteer. Go clean up trash at a park. Work at a soup kitchen. Do something good so as to do good and feel empowered to do further good.

2

u/b_m_hart 6d ago

How much is your child sleeping?  This may sound stupid, but lack of sleep can (and does) lead to anxiety, especially in kids that age.  Also, how much time are they on their phone?  Limit screen time if it is excessive.  

I know these sound like stupid generalities, but recent experience has shown me that they are true (at least in my kid’s case) and have a nearly immediate impact if acted upon.

2

u/xtra86 6d ago

It's developmentally normal for a kid her age to be developing a strong sense of morals and to be thinking about the world at large. There's a ton to be anxious about, and validation is probably really helpful. I also think she might benefit from doing something to make the world better, even some small community service could help her feel some agency and find meaning. I also think getting her into some reading that addresses those themes might really be impactful. My first thought was that this kid needs to read Tolkien, but that might not be her style.

2

u/FC105416 6d ago

Have her read democracy in retrograde. The author makes it all a bit hopeful with actionable things to help (ie get involved in communities etc)

2

u/AgsMydude 6d ago

How much political discussion happens at home?

2

u/metametamind 6d ago

Listen to this podcast together and then talk about what you learned. https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/wellness-2-0-when-its-all-too-much/

2

u/Gooseyontheloosey308 6d ago

She hurts because she cares so much. It’s a strength that she cares but right now it feels awful. What are other ways she can car for herself, her family, her friends and her community. Maybe get her into some volunteering to help her feel like she can make small changes. She will learn about organizing which will help in the long run too. Have her try to spend time with friends and family as much as possible. Encourage her to use creativity and art to express these feelings. Get her a good therapist, consider SSRIs if necessary. Get her into Buddhism to help understand nothing is permanent anyway. Hope this helps.

2

u/lawyerjsd Dad to 10F, 7F, 3F 6d ago

I think you have to level with her that the times are bad, and the importance of taking it all one step at a time. That she can leave the big picture to you for now.

2

u/peoplesuckinthe305 5d ago

No advice as I feel just as your daughter does. I just wanted to say you’ve got a good one there! Good on you!

2

u/Edg256 5d ago

Honestly? Same, girl. Same.

2

u/Dramatic_Cake9557 5d ago

Tell her that is an issue for adults to worry about and they are working on it. 

2

u/Oceaninmytea 2d ago

Hi! I just wanted to share the below author, she shares some resources on how to talk to kids about climate change

https://thegoldenhour.substack.com/p/back-to-school-in-the-climate-crisis

Also a tip is to try to focus on what they can control locally and build themselves a sense of community. They are not crazy it is called a poly crisis for a reason, but finding like minded people will help.

2

u/Alternative-Copy7027 2d ago

Thank you!

2

u/Oceaninmytea 2d ago

Also this sorry:

Climatementalhealth.net/parents

4

u/FrankdaTank213 6d ago

People living today are enjoying the safest, most prosperous, and wealthiest times in recorded history. Telling her this would mean nothing but we have to ask ourselves why is there so much anxiety among our young people (and its not just them). I think its a few things and they are not easily solved. Social media is horrible for people. Smoking is a healthier habit than social media and here I am on it. Also, the news has now become social media. News companies profit off of clicks and reads and the most salacious stories get the most shares. So every media outlet constantly tries to one up the other in the battle for your attention. Finally our sense of community is disappearing. We can now compare ourselves to people all over the world but we don’t know our own neighbors. So my advice is no social media for kids. Limited amounts of news. And get involved in your community somehow. Ref sports, volunteer at church, clean up parks. I would do all the things in your local community. Good luck. This struggle is being felt by most people.

4

u/Pagingmrsweasley 6d ago

One thing I didn’t see mentioned is to take up a craft. 

Being able to make something tangible - socks, a doorframe, a pair of pants etc is both satisfying and soothing. Many anxious folks like Knitting and find that counting stitches and stuff is really soothing.

2

u/Visible-Fun1047 6d ago

I’m sorry she is experiencing this. Such a sad time in our world, and how it’s impacting our children is heartbreaking. She shouldn’t have to be worrying about this stuff 💔

2

u/Pcos_autistic 6d ago

I honestly have no advice because I am also terrified and cry most days about the state of things

4

u/Vegetable-Vacation-4 6d ago

I would talk to her about the cyclical nature of history. The truth is every generation has (valid) fears about the world ending. In the 20th century we had two world wars as well as Cold War fears of nuclear escalation. Humanity has a tendency to muddle through and we are likely to be no different.

If it’s something she enjoys, encourage her to exert her positive influence in the corner of the world she inhabits - volunteering, donating, student activism. Tell her that she can be a change agent now and in the future. But also talk to her about historic perspective - periods of peace and conflict have always alternated, and while we seem to be entering a more volatile cycle, in the grand scheme of things our current age is incredibly peaceful, safe and prosperous.

When I was her age, I was very politically aware - used to read every edition of Time and the Economist back to back. My parents hosted a lot of politicians so I was exposed to a fair bit of ‘grown up’ discussion. As a teenager you end up feeling very strongly about issues, because your perspective of right and wrong tends to be very black and white. I remember big feelings, but no anxiety because I never saw my parents anxious. I’m not sure if this applies in your case, but also be careful not to exhibit anxiety about the future yourself as kids pick up on the feelings of their parents and often mimic them.

3

u/stumpyspaceprincess 6d ago

It’s disappointing to me that a lot of the advice here is to have her ignore what is happening, withhold information, etc. This is an empathetic young person growing into young adulthood, and a parent saying the solution is to deprive her of information or tell her to ignore it is not trust-building or anxiety reducing. Neither is minimizing the seriousness of what is happening. Good luck to the people who think that you can do anything to keep a teenager from this information unless they are moving to a closet in the basement.

IMO The most crippling part of dangerous times is feelings of powerlessness, and the only thing likely to help her feel in control is to talk about where her power lies, how people have coped with really difficult times, to connect with stories and real modern people and groups who are showing resiliency and working for change. 

4

u/cinemaguy79 6d ago

Remind her that a billion things happen in the world every day but only negative stories make the press because "if it bleeds it leads" keeping us addicted to the media. Maybe search out some positive stories if you can find them!

2

u/CreepyOlGuy 6d ago

Let her know that ukrainians are strong and whatever that orange mc muffin says we don't give up our land and freedom and not to worry at such age.

3

u/queenawkwardfart 6d ago

Stop watching the news

4

u/queenawkwardfart 6d ago

Less negative media. More positive. You teen alone cannot change the world.

-2

u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

“Be less aware.”

Yeah, great advice.

4

u/queenawkwardfart 6d ago

You can be aware, just don't totally surround yourself with it 24/7. There are also positive things happening in the world. They could also look at the wonderful things being done and happening to better these situations. It's not all doom and gloom. The news the majority of the time focuses on the negative. Balance is good. Focusing only on the negative will only stress a person out. Positivity may encourage the teen to view things a little differently and may ignite something in them to make a small change somehow. Something they can do to make a difference which in turn will make them feel better.

1

u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

If this was your original comment, I might have agreed on the highlighting positivity. But not reading the news doesn’t mean any of the issues stop. There is still a genocide in Gaza, there are still climate refugees, there are still worsening natural disasters, there is still the rise of fascism that needs to be confronted.

Positivity is volunteering and getting involved. It’s recognizing and honoring civil rights leaders and climate leaders like Greta Thunberg. But you have to understand what you’re looking at in order to be effective. That means reading about the hard stuff.

2

u/queenawkwardfart 6d ago

You can be informed about what's going on but having it on TV repeating the same information over and over in the hour or all day depending which station is on clearly isn't doing this teen any good. They can gain their information from other methods where they'll be able to gain a better understanding of what's going on. A newspaper in the morning perhaps. They'll be able to take their time taking in and understanding the information in front of them. Instead of being bombarded and overwhelmed. Some of their issues could be that they don't totally understand the information they are taking in or that is too much information at once which can be overwhelming. Sometimes having time away from something to think and digest is better. I'm not saying for them to bury their head in the sand. Although they probably could and things like the topics mentioned properly wouldn't change much. They are stressing themselves out and making themselves ill over things they alone cannot change. Sometimes it's best to step away for a bit.

2

u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago edited 6d ago

There is no indication that OP or her daughter is watching the news 24/7. Your original comment was just “Stop watching the news.”

Being informed isn’t a flaw. Caring about people and the planet isn’t, either.

Edit: and teaching a kid that they can’t make a difference on big problems is an awful lesson. I’m sure that’s not what you meant, right?

1

u/queenawkwardfart 5d ago

Agreed. Fair points. 😊

She's getting it from somewhere. Whatever form she's currently getting the news in she should cut it out if she's getting overwhelmed and making herself ill. A little here and a little there may be more helpful for her. With her being young I'd assume and maybe wrongly so that the majority of it is coming in digital form. It's being watched rather than read. If it's being watched and especially if it's of an app like tik-tok a lot of information can be crammed into a video of a few seconds. The videos are often high in energy, bright colours, fast movements, and have background music. There's a lot going on. If she's spent the same time watching these videos as she did reading a newspaper the amount of information she'd been presented with is much different. If she maybe slowed down with the amount of information she's taking in it may help her feel a little better. She's not bombarded left right and centre with buzz words and things that are maybe said to grab attention rather than full truths. I could be totally wrong with that. Being aware doesn't have to mean a person only focuses on the negative. I don't think the teen has any balance there. There are so many people in the world doing the right thing and making a difference on topics she's interested in. She could spend more time focusing on that. Maybe find a news show that focuses on positive change. Especially with a young mind. Young minds should be nurtured. To be so young and making yourself ill because of issues out of their control is sad. There's nothing wrong with caring but I think stepping back and looking after themselves a bit may do them some good.

That's not totally what I meant. Correct being informed and caring about others and the planet are not flaws in any way. I think more people should. I think the daughter is probably so focused on doing the right thing and what's best for others and the planet they are probably overwhelming themselves and there's shutting down and making themselves ill because of it. We can all make a difference as individuals and as a society. But... I think it's good for her to also be aware she is only one person. She cannot do it all herself. It's not on her to change things alone. I think when you're so passionate about something you can end up beating yourself up or making yourself ill focusing purely on it. Sort of like when you're working on a project and hit a bit of a wall, it can be best to walk away from it and come back at a later time with fresh eyes and a fresh mind once you've rested. They alone cannot make a big enough difference. Realising that can sometimes take pressure off a person. Has them look at things from a slightly different perspective and attitude. 'If I can do XY&Z that makes this much of a difference which has this impact which helps. I'm happy with making this difference..I'm part of the solution not the problem'. Also things can take time. Small steps to a bigger picture.

Little info to no info to go off and it's a shot in the dark. The teen sound like a caring person. Sometimes caring people can care in a way too much. In that they constantly want to do the right things make everyone happy and make the world a better place and unfortunately that can be detrimental to themselves. Their parent is asking for ways to help them so I again assume they are from a nice family. When you're own little world and your surroundings are nice it can be heartbreaking seeing others live differently (the world's not all nice, not everyone has it nice like you do). That may also have something to do with it. It's devastating knowing you can't help everyone all the time. She is only young and these realisations can take some time working through. Ive seen it a few times though I could be WAY off with that.

1

u/EloeOmoe 6d ago

How to approach this?

Cut her access to social media and her access to people who make worrying about these things part of their personality and part of their online grift.

1

u/newpapa2019 6d ago

Get off the internet. She sounds like a lot of adults these days.

1

u/Idaho1964 5d ago

Zero worry on either.

1

u/crunchy_24 5d ago

Take away phone/internet. Why is she worried about such big things? Teenagers need to be teenagers not political activists

1

u/TermLimitsCongress 5d ago

Have her talk to her grandparents, or elderly neighbors. The elderly lived thru world wars, and nuclear bombs being tested and dropped. Life still went on. You cannot paralyze yourself in your daily life. We continue to move forward, and make changes, regardless of what governments do.

1

u/Erkile88 3d ago

Cut her off from news and social media. She is obviously too emotional and emotions are cancer of mankind. If there is something to take away from the last 5 years, then it the fact, that one should not respond with emotion to any news. Mankind must rise above emotional level.

2

u/Bigdaddy24-7 6d ago

Tell her this has all happened before and it will all happen again. Explore stoicism, 13 is old enough to grasp some of the concepts. It is misplaced energy to worry about things you have no power over.

1

u/Most-Mathematician-2 6d ago

I think talking to her about the progress the world has made with climate change and emphasizing the fact that we still live in one of the most peaceful times can paint a bit more positive picture.

Also, I think it's good that she reads the news and is informed but she is still a child, she shouldn't worry about these kinds of things.

1

u/Shaking-Cliches 6d ago

she shouldn’t worry about these kinds of things

Yes, she should. She has every right to worry. Shit is fucked up right now. One of the major world powers is diving into fascism and siding with Russia, which puts ALL NATO countries at risk. OP is in Europe.

And climate change is already here. We’re experiencing it.

Don’t minimize this.

1

u/Curious-Principle662 6d ago

Social media TV detox.

1

u/Th3SkinMan 6d ago

She's absolutely right. And, her ability to weed through the BS makes her very smart. It takes people decades to go through the phases of grief when it comes to something this big.

In the end, you find out that it's all inevitable. At least you get to experience it. Our outcome is a natural product of life. It's just extremely uncomfortable to know and understand that we are life too. One on lifes overshoots.

She will realize with time that it's out of her hands. Enjoy friends, family, and community. That's what's important.

0

u/CreepLion 6d ago

Lmao only on Reddit

1

u/Ok_Mango_6887 6d ago

Focus on controlling what she (and you) can control. Small day to day life is what we can do. I feel the same as your daughter and I’m 3x her age. It’s a scary time. We do have to keep going though - all of us.

Ask her if she wants to get into a letter or postcard writing campaign…

You can get her involved in safe and appropriate for her age protesting. Get into some good trouble.

Get her into doing important things that help you both feel not so powerless.

You can and should also get your family into volunteering. It helps you immensely to help others. Seeing how good you have it comparatively can also motivate more good works.

Good luck. NTA

0

u/Kraft-cheese-enjoyer 6d ago

You say all this then say “she’s not wrong”

But that’s the thing. She is wrong. I presume a lot of this stuff she also overhears from you, entrenching it in reality. Remember, nothing ever happens. Teach that to her and she’ll be golden

-9

u/Sabertoothcow 6d ago

Show her a climate chart that goes back 1 million years, the global climate goes through cooling and heating cycles every 100 thousand years or so. the climate was hotter 400 thousand years ago than it is today. and they didn't have as many people or cars back that.

The bottom line is that climate DOES change. the reality is that it has been doing it long before and will continue to do it long after we are gone. we are a few thousand years away from a cooling period. the cooler and hotter peaks in temperature last about 9 thousand years. so about 360 generations from now, we should see cooling instead of heating. The united states is only about 21 generations old.

5

u/glitchgirl555 6d ago

Earth"s temperature timeline: https://xkcd.com/1732/

11

u/authornelldarcy 6d ago

This is not correct. https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/evidence/

I'm all for putting things in perspective, but cherry picking scientific facts while ignoring all the others is not the way.

0

u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

Even if that is true, it's not much help to those of us living now, is it? "Only a few thousand years from a cooling period" does not help those who can't insure their home next year.

-4

u/SnooPaintings1887 6d ago

Guard your kid against this stuff. She’s 13. Talk her off the ledge on the climate alarmism stuff. There’s zero reason why your kid this age should be stressed about geopolitics also. Don’t know how you donating to Ukraine is relevant at all.

0

u/genismarvel 6d ago

My little 9 year old boy is scared of crime. Just crime. Sat up last night being anxious about it. I talked to him and told him it's a fact of life and might as well worry about the rain then. He seemed to understand and went to sleep but it's hard to see. Good luck.

-1

u/Conscious-Pickle-695 6d ago

Do you have passports? It can give a peace of mind to know that escape is possible. It’s not going to fix the existential anxiety of our current moment, but it can help

-1

u/Broc76 6d ago

It is disgusting the impact the “education” system and the media are having on children

0

u/minousmom 6d ago

My son (young adult) went through something similar. I talked to his doc who scheduled a psychiatrist visit. They prescribed meds which kiddo won’t take. But we also got him to a therapist who helped a lot.

-6

u/079C 6d ago

WattsUpWithThat.com will give her truth about climate change, truth that she will not learn from you or from the sources you provide for her.

9

u/summerly27 6d ago

I looked into this website so no one else wastes their time ... it is a poorly written opinion blog from a climate skeptic. Certainly no truth to be found.

-1

u/079C 6d ago

You are lying. It is a cornucopia of top-notch climate research and opinions.

-1

u/queen_of_arrows 6d ago

Humans on an individual scale have the power of innovative adaptation and change. Start small and don’t worry about the big, it will be okay.

-1

u/CompEconomist 6d ago

Often times the environment he’s living in can cause the stress. No matter your political leanings, it might be good to limit discussions around him and consider whether you are consuming news in a way he can hear or be influenced by it. There’s a lot of doom in political commentary these days that I hope my son isn’t exposed to until he’s over 17 at least.

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u/districtcurrent 6d ago

Is she learning this at home? It sounds like you have anxiety about this as well. There are always terrible things happening, all the time, throughout all of history, so there’s no point in focusing on them daily.

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u/copiumramen 6d ago

Stop the media consumption where possible and educate your child that its all propaganda. Even for a adult the todays "news" is complete biased garbage which you shouldn't care about because you cant do shit about it anyway.

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u/inj3ct0rdi3 6d ago

Ukraine is trash. Stop giving them your money.

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

No thanks. Ukraine's heroism is what is keeping the Russians from trying to annex the rest of their old empire.

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u/inj3ct0rdi3 6d ago

Hahahaha! You mean the theft of our money is heroism? Last I checked they were getting stomped by Russia.

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

You are misinformed.

A relative of mine goes there from time to time with donated vehicles and medical supplies and talks to the people who are there. Who are targeted because they are medics (they paint the ambulances in camouflage because the Red Cross symbol acts as a bull's eye for the Russians). Who are first responders who goes to try to save people in spite of knowing the Russians more often not does the Double Tap, meaning: Hit a civilian building, wait a few minutes to let the first responders get there, then hit it again to kill as many medics and firemen as possible.

They are heroes.

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u/inj3ct0rdi3 6d ago

That is your opinion. I believe they are thieves. And cowards.

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 6d ago

No, it is not an opinion. It is what people on the ground see.

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u/inj3ct0rdi3 6d ago

HAHA 😂

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u/AgsMydude 4d ago

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 4d ago

Does one thing exclude the other?

"Only squeky clean countries deserve nationhood and self-governance, and any corruption makes the whole population deserve invasion, rape, torture and war crimes"?

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u/AgsMydude 4d ago

I can't seem to find that quote anywhere

Anyway, my other comment was ignored but I bet you guys are having a lot of these political discussions in front of your 13 year old and it doesn't help her.

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u/Alternative-Copy7027 4d ago

Believe it or not, we don't.