Parental Stress Is A Significant Health Issue!

Parents in the United States are overwhelmed and burned out with the “dizzying pace” of the world, and it’s a public health concern, according to a surgeon general’s advisory. 

Released Wednesday, it calls for shifts in policy and cultural norms.

“The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health of society,” wrote US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, a father of two.

“We know that the well-being of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the well-being of their children.”

The advisory describes how mothers and fathers now work many more hours than in 1985 but also spend many more hours every week on primary child care.  

And that doesn’t count their total time spent with children.

“Demands from both work and child caregiving have come at the cost of quality time with one’s partner, sleep, and parental leisure time.”

The strain is even greater on parents caring for aging parents or other loved ones. (CNN)

What can be done to give parents some relief?

One of the greatest causes of parental stress is that many parents over react to their children’s behavior. Very often a child will misbehave in the morning before school leaving the parent devastated. When the child comes home, the bad behavior is left behind and forgotten by the child but NOT the parent. They have stewed all day over the incident.

Children’t behavior must be prioritized. Some things have to be let go. One of the best pieces of advice we ever received for child raising was from a neighbor. “SEE LESS.”

Even if you see or hear bad behavior, pretend you don’t. You cannot react to every incidence. It totally wears you out. And generally it doesn’t really matter.

Once a neighbor came to wife to ask for advice. She had a child who loved to say very vulgar words. My wife’s advice, tell him he can swear all he wants in his room. When he is finished, he can come out. It worked because his mother’s shock was gone and it wasn’t fun swearing alone.

Try not to react to everything. Ignore as much as you can. It may sound naive but it works!