HOUSTON — The nation’s top doctor issued an advisory, saying parents are under a dangerous amount of stress right now.
That advisory cited an American Psychological Association report that said close to half of all parents are under overwhelming stress. When you look at adults without children, that number drops to 26 percent.
The Wall Street Journal reports parents are also lonely, with a survey finding 65% of parents report being lonely, while 55% of child-free adults reporting the same thing.
Parenthood has always been a tough but rewarding job, so what’s changed?
According to the experts, parents are facing new and bigger challenges, from social media to the proliferation of screens. And they face this with a constantly shrinking support system.
Fewer parents live near extended family or within multi-generational homes, meaning they are on their own when it comes to child care.
What can be done to fix the problem?
The surgeon general is asking the government, employers and doctors to do more to support parents. That means everything from a national paid family leave program to asking pediatrician to look for signs of stress in parents when they take kids in for appointments.