Parents consistently report experiencing higher levels of stress than other adults, according to the new recommendations.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Surgeon General said parents are extremely stressed and their health is a public health emergency.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy released an advisory on parental health and well-being, calling Americans’ attention to the issue and offering recommendations on how to address it.
Vivek said in his recommendations that conversations with parents and carers revealed that “guilt and shame are prevalent”, often leading caregivers to hide their mental health struggles, and that ” It has become clear that stress creates feelings of guilt, which in turn creates more stress, a vicious cycle that continues.” . ”
How stressed are American parents?
According to the recommendations, parents are more likely than other adults to report experiencing consistently high levels of stress over the past 10 years. In fact, in 2023, 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month, compared to 20% of other adults.
About 41% of parents say they are too stressed out most days to function properly. About 48% say they are completely stressed out most days, compared to 26% of other adults.
Why do parents feel so stressed?
Parents and caregivers often face increased stressors unique to their parenting roles. These can include financial stress compared to child support, which the advisory says has increased by about 26% over the past decade. Time demands, including work-life balance. Children’s health and safety. Parental isolation and loneliness. And so on.
One notable stressor that increases over time is the impact technology and social media have on parenting. The advisory states that nearly 70% of parents say raising children is more difficult than it was 20 years ago, with the top two reasons being children’s use of technology and social media. Parents report worrying about how their children’s social media use can lead to other problems such as depression, anxiety, bullying, and low self-esteem.
The advisory states that “parental mental health can have far-reaching and serious impacts on children, entire families, and society, including increased medical costs and reduced economic productivity.” .
U.S. Surgeon General’s Recommendations
Murthy believes the health of parents and carers is an “important and underappreciated public health priority” and that something needs to change to address it. In the recommendations, the Surgeon General wrote that significant cultural changes are needed to make child care sustainable and empower parents and caregivers to fulfill their roles.
One of the four main recommendations outlined in this recommendation is to treat time spent caring for children as equally important as time spent in paid work.
“For many parents and caregivers, it means choosing to be a full-time parent or managing the many work trade-offs that comes with being an employed parent. Regardless of what that means, we feel undervalued by prioritizing child care over employment,” the recommendation states. “We must recognize the importance of child care and reflect that in how we prioritize resources, design policies, shape work environments, and approach conversations with parents.”
Another recommendation is to ensure that parents and caregivers understand that although they may have the primary responsibility for raising their parents, they do not have to do it alone.
“Raising healthy, educated and well-rounded children is at the heart of building a strong future. It benefits society as a whole, and it is a collective responsibility,” the recommendation states. are. “Social support through policies such as investments in children’s health, education and safety, and community involvement through friendship, practical support and emotional support, are essential to the well-being of parents and caregivers. , it’s also beneficial for children’ good. “
The third recommendation is to talk openly about the stresses and struggles of parenting to prevent a vicious cycle that causes further distress for parents and caregivers.
“Open dialogue about these challenges can help combat shame and guilt and foster mutual support. It can also help finalize practices and collective expectations to make health and well-being more consistent. It also helps build the momentum needed to make a difference,” the recommendation states.
Finally, the fourth recommendation is to foster a culture of connection between parents to combat loneliness and isolation.
“Parental well-being can be strengthened by creating opportunities for parents and carers to come together, share experiences and ideas, and support each other,” the recommendation states. “Simply put, caregivers need care, too.”
For more information, read the Surgeon General’s full advisory, Parents Under Pressure.
