Some people are really keen on starting a family. They cannot wait to settle down, create a home, and watch a mini version of themselves run around it. In the US, the number of families has been steadily increasing since the ‘60s. According to Statista, there are currently nearly 85 million of them in the country.
Heads of these families might say that parenthood is a gift that keeps on giving. There is nothing quite like watching your little ones take their first steps, say their first words, and develop their character. They might also state that a parent’s love is unconditional. Yet children will try to test it a gazillion times just to make sure.
Some parenting challenges have changed drastically since the good old days. In a 2020 survey, the Pew Research Center found that two-thirds of parents agree that raising children now is more difficult than it was two decades ago. They find it challenging to keep up with the rapid technological advancement. The surveyed people believe that it affects children as well, as they tend to have less patience and choose the virtual world over real-life interaction.
Parents worry about their kid’s online safety. Respondents of the Pew Research Center survey admit they are concerned about the messages their children receive and the abundance of all sorts of information online. The internet provides not only easy access to the good, but also the bad, and the ugly. Plus, children might not have the best judgment on what content belongs online where everyone can see it.
In addition to oversharing, children might also become targets of unwanted messages and other online attacks. Data shows that over 35% of students in the US aged 12 to 17 have experienced cyberbullying. 10% revealed that they have been victims of someone using their information for impersonation and nearly as many kids said they have experienced racism online.
Nowadays, social media and the internet are way more intertwined with our lives than they were just a couple of decades ago. Research discovered that back in 2005, only 5% of American adults used social media, while recently the number has risen to 72%. Using these platforms themselves, grown-ups know what kind of threats they might pose. Therefore, as much as 75% of parents check the apps and websites their kids are using.
People see a large number of parent influencers online (there are around 4.5 million mom-influencers alone), some of whom might present a beautified view of reality. They can create unreasonable expectations for those with children.
From their squeaky clean houses and children behaving like angels, it might seem like influencers have it all figured out; even though it’s not always the case. Nevertheless, their kids eating vegetables with a smile can frustrate parents with a kid screaming at the sight of a carrot alone.
As if raising children isn’t enough to have one’s plate full, parents have to solve financial riddles as well. Providing for several hungry mouths and maintaining the household is not an easy task. Therefore, moms and dads have to find the best work-life balance for the well-being of all the members.
Based on recent data, one-fourth of parents find it difficult to cover all the expenses of the family, such as housing, food, or healthcare. This puts additional stress on them as spending time with the kids becomes more difficult when working long hours.
Parents deal with all sorts of pressure when it comes to planning family finances. Bills, car maintenance, grocery shopping, and other responsibilities seem like a never-ending cycle of expenses. To make things worse, grown-ups in the family often feel pressured to buy things that are less necessary as well. Research shows that around 60% of parents in the US feel the need to purchase certain expensive items of the latest edition.