As you scroll through these tweets, you might start thinking: "Are parents OK?" And the answer is no, parents are not OK. At least not at the moment. Research shows that parents are spending more time on caregiving than any other previous generations. And, on top of that, both parents are usually working full-time.
And spending time with your child is not enough anymore. Parents need to juggle extracurriculars, doctor appointments, playdates, PTA meetings and activities, and so much more. In 2023, 41% of American parents said they can't function most days because they're overwhelmed by stress. 48% claimed they're completely overwhelmed by stress.
Just last year, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned that the pressure that parents face has become a public health concern. In his issued advisory, he claims that the biggest stressors are the costs of childcare, education, and healthcare.
But parents are also worrying about their kids and how they're doing. With school shootings, the youth mental health crisis, and the loneliness epidemic, parents are feeling pretty powerless in their roles. What's more, the added stress of the mental load, struggling to find the time to work, and finding childcare stressed parents even more.
Social media is stressing parents out just as much as it's negatively impacting their kids. Psychologist and host of the "Authentic Parenting" podcast Anna Seewald told CNN that parents need to take stock of how much time they're spending on social media. "That's a background stressor for a lot of people in a world of many stressors — and it's one that you can control," she says.
Instead, the psychologist says, parents should strive to connect with their kids and their loved ones in person. As social psychologist Alex Danvers explained to Bored Panda in a previous article, being around people for at least four hours a day can be enough. "It really is just about being in other people's company, even if you're just talking about what frozen pizza to make while you play video games," he said.
Seewald also recommends parents don't stretch themselves too thin. While it might sound and look cool to be a super parent, you don't have to do everything. It's okay to miss a birthday party, take some time for yourself, hire a nanny for a day, or have coffee with a neighbor. "Preserving and protecting your own energy and time is more important."
Overall, parents should give themselves some slack. Seewald says that parents should practice self-compassion. That includes being kind to yourself when you make mistakes or yell at your kids. "Feeling inadequate and shameful is a recipe for failure," she explained.
