It’s not getting any easier being a parent. In fact, parenting may be hazardous to your health.
That’s according to a new public health warning from the U.S. Surgeon General.
“Parents and caregivers in America are under pressure. As a father of two kids, I feel this pressure too,” said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in a video advisory.
The recent 35-page advisory titled “Parents Under Pressure” says parental stress is now “an urgent public health issue.”
According to the advisory, 41% of parents say most days they are “so stressed they cannot function.”
Nearly 50% say most days their stress is “overwhelming.”
“I have 12 grandkids and I think my kids are doing a great job raising them, but I don’t think I’d trade spots with them in the current climate,” said Angel Swanner, a mother of five from Seattle.
“I’m at work a lot and they’re kind of on their own. It’s hard to keep up with work and what they’re doing,” added Melinda Sobel, a mother of two from Seattle.
Seattle-area family therapist and parent coach Melissa Benaroya says she’s not surprised by the surgeon general’s warning.
“Everybody presents themself online as this perfect family. I have so many families I work with in my private practice that think they are the only one dealing with these challenges, because it looks like everybody else has figured it out. I get to see behind the curtain and the stresses are all the same,” says Benaroya.
It’s no surprise that she says parents’ top stressors include money issues, especially with parents working more and childcare costing more.
“Not only do they have to worry about finding childcare and leaving their child with these people, they have to be able to afford it,” said Benaroya.
It all adds up to a lot of stress – which can lead to loneliness, even shame.
The surgeon general’s advisory says a shift is needed to better prioritize and value parents’ mental health and well-being.
“Ultimately, this is affecting children and their ability to cope and develop and thrive. And if we don’t start with the parents, then we’re going to create even more systemic problems in the future,” says Benaroya.
Go to this link for more about the report from the Office of the Surgeon General.