Women in Climate (WiC) network
Women in Climate (WiC) network
Posted by Bryony Hobden
22 January 2026Happy New Year to all our Women in Climate members and allies! We hope you enjoyed your winter break and that you have had a great start to 2026. We kicked off our year of events with a screening and discussion of the documentary ‘Chasing Childhood.’
The documentary focuses on a family in Wilton, an affluent town in Connecticut, where we meet parents Rob and Genevieve and their daughter Savannah. Growing up, Savannah was a very talented and high-achieving student, always striving for perfection. Seeing this in their daughter, her parents did everything they could to help her succeed and excel in life, but eventually this came at a cost. The constant pushing and striving meant that Savannah became depressed during her teen years, which led to her hospitalisation during her senior year of high school. This was a massive wake-up call for Rob and Geneive. After noticing the mounting pressure on kids in her community, Genevieve started a group with local schools and other parents to encourage a less curated childhood, emphasising free play with less adult oversight. Meanwhile, a school superintendent in New York, Michael, is also trying to combat new record rates of anxiety in his schools. Together, he and Genevieve meet with Lenore Skenazy, the founder of ‘Free Range Kids’, who is currently introducing ‘Let Grow’, an independent, child-driven project, into schools.
The 80-minute documentary was interesting and sometimes surprising, and it sparked a range of reactions. After watching, we had a thoughtful discussion where people reflected on their own childhoods, which occurred in both UK and international locations, and what it’s like to raise children today.
Key Discussion Points
Many of us who watched the documentary wondered if things are just as difficult in the UK when it comes to young people’s mental health and the pressure of applying to college or university. Some thought the US college system adds extra stress by expecting students to have many extracurricular activities and top grades, while this pressure isn’t as strong in the UK and Europe. We get the impression that similar pressures exist in the UK, especially around selection to some universities.
A few people agreed that the documentary was lacking in its perspective on working parents, especially working mothers. In many ways, the parents and teachers in the documentary were pining for their childhoods in the 60s/70s, when it was more common for at least one parent to stay home, usually the mother. This means it was possible to let kids play freely in the garden or around the neighbourhood, with an adult nearby if needed. The film failed to address the fact that in the modern age it’s very common for both parents to be working.
The documentary often discussed the downsides of kids having so many after-school activities. The children felt they couldn’t choose what they wanted, were almost always tired, and had little time for free play. Some parents even went into debt to pay for extra classes. However, during our discussion, people noted that after-school clubs can be a big help for parents, as they make school pick-up times fit better with a typical workday.
Despite the documentary’s main focus of addressing anxiety and depression in children, there was little to no mention of the impact of mobile phones on children and teens. For example, at one point in the documentary, two 11-year-old boys were talking about their ‘Insta’ accounts, but at no point did social media come under scrutiny, which felt odd. If anything, the phones were only highlighted as another way parents can ‘helicopter parent’ their children from afar, by using tracking apps etc.
During our discussion, people mentioned that roads in residential areas have become less safe because of more traffic and faster drivers. Even though the documentary encouraged kids to play outside, some parents said they worry about their children’s safety when they’re out riding bikes or playing. This concern for children’s safety on the roads was reflected by parents in the room This is in part, could be due to lack of green spaces and they way houses are built with minimal paths (though newer developments do not seem to be as bad, at least from the perspective of some). However, the film seemed to suggest the main concern of parents was children being ‘snatched’, and this was used as a reason restrict freedoms, rather than concern around road safety. Children being kidnapped was not mentioned as a safety concern in the room during the discussion.
People in the discussion suggested that society today may be less tolerant of children. Examples included complaints about babies on planes or kids making noise in restaurants and public spaces. Our discussion included comparisons of raising children in the UK to places like Kenya or Gambia, where there’s more community spirit and adults are more accepting of children playing outside.
The film and our discussion gave us a lot of food for thought, leaving us with the idea that, for children to play more freely again and away from technology, maybe societal change is needed first. Thank you to all who attended and participated in the discussion and thank you to Penny Maher for organising the screening.