Malena Ernman
Personal life
Personal life
-------------

Ernman is married to Swedish actor [Svante Thunberg](/wiki/Svante_Thunberg "Svante Thunberg"). Their first daughter [Greta Thunberg](/wiki/Greta_Thunberg "Greta Thunberg") rose to worldwide prominence when she initiated the [School Strike for Climate](/wiki/School_Strike_for_Climate "School Strike for Climate"). She also has a younger daughter, who is three years younger. Ernman's career was taking off when Greta was born, and Svante stayed at home to look after their children.Simon Hattenstone, [Greta Thunberg: 'I really see the value of friendship. Apart from the climate, almost nothing else matters'](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/sep/25/greta-thunberg-i-really-see-the-value-of-friendship-apart-from-the-climate-almost-nothing-else-matters), *[The Guardian](/wiki/The_Guardian "The Guardian")*, 25 September 2021, accessed 12 January 2023

In August 2014, 11\-year\-old Greta suddenly stopped eating, talking, reading, or wanting to do anything. This condition lasted for several months, until she was diagnosed with [Asperger syndrome](/wiki/Asperger_syndrome "Asperger syndrome"). The acute period of her daughter's condition affected Ernman and her family to such an extent that she had three breakdowns during her professional activity and five performances had to be cancelled. After the crisis was overcome, she turned to the nationwide daily newspaper *[Expressen](/wiki/Expressen "Expressen")*, which reported it in detail, because she wanted to help other families in a similar situation.Christer Olsson: ["Det har varit ett helvetiskt år (That has been a hell of a year)"](https://www.expressen.se/halsoliv/halsa/det-har-varit-ett-helvetiskt-ar), *[Expressen](/wiki/Expressen "Expressen")*, Stockholm, 20 May 2015\.

Ernman has been politically active in support of the [Paris Agreement](/wiki/Paris_Agreement "Paris Agreement"); in June 2017 she wrote a collaborative debate piece in *[Dagens Nyheter](/wiki/Dagens_Nyheter "Dagens Nyheter")*. With her husband, she co\-wrote the book *[Scenes from the Heart](/wiki/Scenes_from_the_Heart "Scenes from the Heart")* about her family, the environment, and sustainability. It was published in August 2018\.


How did Ernman cope with her daughter's condition?