HomeFront Kids 12
Population Control
ABOUT THIS UNIT
Main Ideas
1)· The world is not experiencing a population explosion, but a population implosion. Sixty percent of the countries in the world have sub-replacement fertility rates.
2) Countries with fertility rates below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman, face aging, impending economic crisis and cultural elimination.
3) There is no need for population control policies. As countries become more developed and industrialized, fertility drops naturally.
4) All citizens have an obligation to conserve and be good stewards of this planet.
Activities
- Visit a park, botanical garden or meadow area and talk about a) how each flower brings beauty and b) how different plants help different animals get food.
- Think of a problem around your home or school. What would you invent to solve the problem?
Daily Resources
Short daily resources for discussing Homefront topics with your children.
Click to expand the daily resource you want to view.
DO NOT USE; THIS IS HIDDEN
Resource 1: Children are a Blessing
Resource 2: The Roots of Population Control
Resource 3: Strong Families are the Foundation of Strong Societies
A society that doesn’t value its children will eventually disappear.
Parents:
No Ring, No Baby, How Marriage Trends Impact Fertility.
View Now
Women, don’t buy into this – Brett Cooper i
Family:
Strong Families are the Foundation of Strong Societies
View Now
Discuss:
What do you think the world would look like in 20 years if everyone stopped having children?
Resource 4: Without Children, Cultures Die Out
Resource 5: Saving the Planet
Resource 6: Effects of Population Control Policies
Parents have constitutional – and international – rights to freely choose the number of children they wish to have. Ideas to the contrary are driven by false understandings and myths.
Parents:
‘One Child Nation’ Exposes the Tragic Consequences of Chinese Population Control (video)
View Now
Family:
Effects of Population Control Policies
Discuss:
Who should decide how many children your family has?
Resource 7: Children are the Hope of the Future
Each person born has unique talents and skills that can positively influence their communities – and the world.
Parents:
A ‘New’ Normal? An Updated Look at Fertility Trends Across the Globe
Family:
Children are the Hope of the Future
View Now
Discuss:
What would you miss without each unique person in your family?
Resource 8: Eradicating Poverty, Hunger, and Disease
It takes strong economies, and lots of people to innovate, to end poverty, hunger and disease.
Parents:
Population Control Isn’t the Answer to Climate Change, Capitalism is.
View Now
Family:
Eradicating Poverty, Hunger, and Disease
View Now
Discuss:
Is population control the answer to ending poverty and hunger?
Resource 9: The Geographic Realities of Overpopulation
Resource 10: Population Myths Debunked
Review
Role Play #1
Role Play #1
Scenario:
Your friend lets you know that he/she will probably get married, but he/she doesn’t intend to ever have children. He/She says: “Children consume too many resources and the planet is already in trouble from too many people. I’m going to do my part to protect the planet.” How do you respond?
Response:
“I’m really glad you plan to marry someday; that’s one of the best ways to ensure you’ll have a happy, healthy and meaningful life. I would never want to dictate to you that you should or shouldn’t have children, but I’m hoping that you might also consider that children are not just a drain on resources, but a potential contributor to the solutions of all problems.”
Through hard work, initiative, and scientific advancements the earth can become more productive and abundant. There is no need to fear children.
It takes little more to support a mother/father/children than the natural resources required to support a couple with no children – especially if they have a pet.
The greatest advancements in science and technology (and in reducing poverty and hunger), since the beginning of time, occurred during the period of time where the world has seen the greatest population increase.
For more talking points and information, go to “Population Myths” in the Talking Points Compilation.
Role Play #2
Role Play #2
Scenario:
Your social studies/history tells the class the world’s population reached 8 billion in 2023. The world’s “carrying capacity” (the number of people the world can support) has been reached. The teacher asks the class to comment on how they feel about that and what they plan to do. What is your response?
Response Tips:
- Yes, the world’s population has reached 8 billion and mid-range projections state the world will top out at around 10 billion people around the year 2070. But then the world’s population will decline rapidly and dramatically! Right now, more than 60 percent of all the countries in the world have below-replacement fertility rates.
- A country with a 1.4 fertility rate (2.1 is the “replacement rate”), that country will lose one-third of its population every generation (25 years).
- Examples of the impact of population decline: Discuss what would happen if 30-40% of all homes in their community were left on the market because there weren’t enough people to live in them. What about 30-40% of all businesses were gone – including your family’s business? Empty schools? Empty play grounds? Empty cities and towns (already happening in Europe and in Japan).
- Each year the world’s food production increases. There is less hunger now than there was 50 years ago, when the world’s population was much smaller. There is enough food to continue to feed the world. Hunger, today, is primarily caused by food distribution problems brought about by bad government and corruption.
- All of the world’s population could live on a land mass the size of the state of Texas. Each household of 4 would have 3840 sq. ft. (or .09 of an acre); enough for a house and small yard (with the rest of the world’s land mass available to raise crops, provide work opportunities, etc.).
For more talking points and information, go to “Population Myths” in the Talking Points Compilation.
Role Play #3 – OPTIONAL
Scenario:
You’re on lunch break and a member of your friend group states: “Climate change is the most pressing problem of our time and we have to stop the population explosion that is occurring or we won’t have a habitable planet left for anyone to live on!” Do you keep quiet or share what you’ve learned? What are some things you might say to provide a calming influence and share some additional insights?
Response Tips:
- It takes strong economies – and people to innovate and make those economies strong – in order to have the focus and money to improve the environment.
- The most developed countries have the cleanest environments and are able to focus the most on protecting the planet. (People in poverty don’t have the energy or means to focus on the environment; they are simply trying to survive.)
- Many of the suggested policies to mitigate “climate change” will crush economies, bringing severe hardship and suffering upon those least able to handle it.
- Dealing with the actual consequences of “climate change” upon people (rising sea levels, higher temperature, etc.) is a better and more cost-effective strategy than trying to stop the temperature from rising. As always, innovation will be the key.
- For more talking points and information, go to “Population Myths” in the Talking Points Compilation.
Reflect
Reflect
Parents:
Review some additional Homefront Project articles/videos from the “Population Myths” unit.
View Now
Family:
- What did you learn?
- What is being said about the world’s population? Is it true? Why?
- What were you surprised by?
- With whom do you want to share what you learned?
Discuss:
Which was your favorite resource or video?
Return to