A recent study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 48 percent of parents say most days their stress is completely overwhelming, compared with 26 percent of other adults who reported the same. They are navigating traditional hardships of parenting — worrying about money and safety, struggling to get enough sleep — as well as new stressors, including omnipresent screens, a youth mental health crisis and widespread fear about the future...
Having safe, affordable before- and after-school care programs, predictable work schedules that allow parents to plan child care and workplace leadership that understands the complex demands on parents can help immensely. Safe playgrounds, libraries and community centers can give children places to play and learn and also serve as valuable settings for parents to gather and build social connection.
Individuals — family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers — can play a critical role. Too often, when someone is struggling, we wait for an invitation to help, or perhaps we worry we don’t have anything of value to offer. Simply showing up can make all the difference in the world to another person. I experienced that when my son was 4 months old and my wife and I had not slept for more than four hours straight in months. A friend came over and played with our child for 15 minutes. Even that was long enough for us to catch our breath.
No comments:
Post a Comment