| Most of us live in a "false social reality." It's not the metaverse. Not a mind-bending state of consciousness. It's not even Twitter. It's how we think about public support for climate action. Last August, researchers in the journal Nature published a paper showing almost all Americans underestimate public support for climate policy. While people estimated only about 40 percent of their fellow citizens back climate policies, on average, the true number ranges between 66 and 80 percent. I was reminded of this when I read all your replies to my last essay about climate dads. For many of you, the piece brought a shock of recognition: You aren't the only one. "It finally gave me a term to call myself," wrote James, who has one young daughter and another on the way. "I live in Alaska and at times it can feel like I'm the only one concerned about climate change." Ross in Oakland, Calif., was ecstatic to finally have a name "for the specific nerd I'm rapidly turning into!" "My daughter doesn't arrive until later this year," he wrote, "but I already can't stop talking about electric vehicles, time-of-use electricity pricing, home backup batteries, and local zoning and permitting rules." Hugh came to the same realization that I did. "There may be more climate dads than are evident," he said. "I suspect our numbers are growing." Of course, it wasn't just climate dads. I heard from climate uncles, grandmas and grandpas. Every family member wrote about the anguish they felt passing a broken future to their youngest ones. And in some cases, they also shared what they were doing about it. Laurel in New York co-leads a grass-roots group called Climate Families NYC bringing together families for environmental activism. Victoria, a climate grandmother, joined the board of a solar installation company in British Columbia, "something that I can do at my age while continuing to speak to my wonderful grandchildren by example." In Atlanta, "green mom" Natalie started collecting gray water in the shower, eliciting skepticism from her sons. But the seeds she planted took root. "Now in 2022," she writes, "they've written their wills. One is leaving money to the Nature Conservancy and the other to the Southern Environmental Law Center." What's the conversation with your family about climate? Send your stories to climatecoach@washpost.com. | 
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