Hi Anita,

I definitely appreciate that you are as concerned about climate change as I am. I lot of people think I am too “extra” in that regard. I am vegetarian and am raising my son to be so too, and I try to minimize my plastic consumption and buy secondhand toys, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel like everything I do isn’t enough at all. It is scary how it seems like the world is dying.

You asked an interesting question about my “pull” to have a second child…. in addition to the two things you highlighted, I suppose in my heart I do want a second, even though my head and anxieties give me a million reasons why I shouldn’t. If those fears weren’t there and I knew pregnancy would be manageable, I would choose it. Like, for example, this is kind of silly but our dining room table is a rectangle shape that sits four people, so we have four chairs. But with the 3 of us, one part is always empty, and sometimes I look at the table as if a member of the family is missing because I see the empty spot. And it’s like a longing for that member. But then I remember all the negative things I listed to you, and I get overwhelmed about what to do. It’s such a difficult decision and I really wonder how so many people seem to just be able to decide this stuff one way or the other. No one I ever hear about ever seems as torn as me. It’s always “no kids, no more kids, or I definitely want another.”

Thank you, Anita, as always! I hope you have a great night 🙂

Charlotte