Kids Imagine a Future with Flying Cars and Underwater Living!

Young people today are feeling anxious about what the future holds for them. At Nova Hreod Academy in Swindon, Year 7 students like Navaj, who is 12 years old, have been sharing their thoughts about what life might be like in the years to come. Navaj said, 'We are going to have to prepare for a lot of bad stuff,' and even suggested that people might need to live underwater in the future. The students compared their own ideas with predictions made by children in the 1960s, who thought the future would be 'very dull. '

The students talked about many things that worry them. They mentioned the rising cost of living, climate change, and the effects of new technology. Millie, another 12-year-old student, said, 'Prices are going up in the shops and everything is getting very expensive. ' Some students are afraid that animals could become extinct, while others worry that artificial intelligence and robots might take over jobs that people do now. They also talked about how climate change could affect their lives in the long term. Navaj imagined a future with 'walking microwaves, floating phones and flying cars. '

Caroline Hickman, a child psychotherapist and researcher at the University of Bath, says that many children are growing up feeling scared about what is ahead. She did a study in 2021 that asked 10,000 children around the world how they felt about climate change. She found that children are not only worried, but also sad about the future. More than half of the children in the UK who took part in the study said they believed humanity was 'doomed. ' Hickman believes it is important for adults to talk openly with young people about their concerns. She says, 'We might not be able to tackle climate change this afternoon, but we can certainly make sure our children are not left alone with their fears. ' She thinks children should be involved in finding solutions and that talking about their worries can help them feel less afraid.