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According to a recent interview given by the US Surgeon General, a huge number of parents feel overwhelmingly stressed on a daily basis. Indeed, the factors contributing to parents' poor mental health are manifold, and changes are needed at both the governmental and societal level if we want things to improve.
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In a recent interview on NPR, the US Surgeon General spoke about the fact that parents are currently experiencing a mental health crisis.
According to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murphy, who is himself a father of two, as many as 48% of parents feel "overwhelmingly stressed" every single day.
According to the available sources, there are various factors that are adding to the increasing exhaustion of modern-day parents.
Given that the mental health of parents is so important (both for their own well-being and for their children’s), something must be done to address the problem.
However, given the complex reasons for the crisis, it can be difficult to determine the best path forward.
One of the key reasons that experts believe parents’ mental health is suffering is that the pressure to be 'better parents' has hit an all-time high.
Largely thanks to social media, many parents feel they must be involved in all areas of their children’s lives. This so-called 'helicopter' approach is time consuming and exhausting.
Many parents feel that they must supervise their children’s activities or, at the very least, enroll their children in supervised activities.
Unsupervised play is largely a thing of the past, and many parents don’t let their children play out of their own fear of being accused of neglect.
Indeed, this hands-on form of parenting appears to be everywhere, and it is difficult to combat when everyone else seems to be doing it.
Many parents live in fear that a neighbor will report them to the authorities if their child is seen playing on their own.
In the 21st century, there is also a considerable amount of pressure on parents to ensure their children are busy at all times.
For many parents, this means ferrying their children around to various after-school activities, which can be very exhausting.
Another reason that parents’ mental health may suffer is that they put unrealistic expectations upon themselves.
In many cases, parents try to do more for their children than their parents did for them, and when their efforts are not appreciated, it can leave them feeling dejected.
Ever since child abduction became more common in the late 1980s, we as a society have become much more aware of 'stranger danger.'
As a result, there is a general distrust of babysitters, which means that parents don’t go out and enjoy themselves. Their lives revolve solely around work and looking after the kids.
Then there are the country-specific dangers that children face on a day-to-day basis. These can leave parents feeling constantly worried.
Technology is another factor that has a negative impact on many parents’ mental well-being. Today, kids’ access to technology is worlds apart from that which their parents enjoyed as children.
For many parents, it can be very difficult to navigate their children’s relationship with devices, and many parents are constantly worried about what their children are being exposed to online.
In the case of the US, for example, the majority of parents harbor a silent, eroding fear about school shootings.
The question of money is also top of mind for many parents. Indeed, raising a child is far from cheap! To make matters worse for those in the US, employers are not required to provide paid time off for new parents.
Last but not least, many parents are in a constant battle with voices in their heads that tell them they’re getting everything wrong and they aren’t good enough.
Much of the time these voices are reflective of the parents’ own upbringing, and they are very destructive. They can prevent parents from being present in the current moment.
In order to make things easier for parents and lighten the mental load, they need tangible support rather than sympathy.
Employers should focus on introducing initiatives that support parents’ well-being, such as flexible work schedules.
That's not to say we don't need a shift in perspective overall, though; people should remember that the work of parenting is not essential only for children, but for society in general.
Only when society begins to truly value and respect the time that people spend parenting will things start to change.
Sources: (Connective Parenting) (NPR)
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According to a recent interview given by the US Surgeon General, a huge number of parents feel overwhelmingly stressed on a daily basis. Indeed, the factors contributing to parents' poor mental health are manifold, and changes are needed at both the governmental and societal level if we want things to improve.
Intrigued? Check out this gallery to find out more.