Raising children has never been easy, but new technological, societal, and economic factors are making the job of parenting even more difficult. So challenging that the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued a formal advisory on the state of parental mental well-being. In this week’s blog, we discuss what’s different about parenting today, how well-being is impacted and what employers can do to help.
There are approximately 63 million parents living with children under the age of 18 in the United States, along with millions of additional caregivers who hold the primary responsibility for caring for children.1 Recent data shows that parents are suffering from increased levels of stress compared to other adults. The American Psychological Association revealed that:
- 48% of parents say their stress is completely overwhelming most days;
- 60% say stress makes it hard for them to focus; and
- 62% say no one understands how stressed out they are.
So what’s going on with parents?
The Surgeon General’s advisory notes that the traditional responsibilities of a parent—protecting children, caring for their physical needs, educating them and ultimately teaching them to be a responsible adult—now accompany additional responsibilities and pressures that parents a decade ago didn’t have to contend with.
Consider these new developments that make the act of parenting today more stressful:
- Social media and screen time. Given the linkage between social media and teen mental health, limiting screen use and access to social media requires constant time and energy on the part of the parent.
- The childcare crisis. It’s estimated that 50% of Americans live in a childcare desert. Childcare prices have grown by 26% in the last decade, averaging $1,250 per month per child.
- A youth mental health crisis. The Surgeon General has written extensively about this, citing a sharp increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation among the nation’s youth.
- New health and safety concerns. From school violence to climate change to the rise in certain childhood diseases—there is a lot for parents to be worried about.
- Increased involvement in children’s education and extracurricular activities. The pressure to constantly schedule enriching activities for children means parents spend an inordinate amount of time shuttling them to and from activities.
- Vanishing community and family support networks. The fragmenting of society and the epidemic of loneliness have made the tough job of parenting even more isolating.
- Increased caregiving for aging parents and ‘boomerang’ kids. Because people are having children later in life, parents are often managing their own parents’ care while still caring for young children. Older children are living at home longer, too.
- The new culture of comparison. Parents of previous generations didn’t experience the anxiety now caused by influencers and online trends that perpetuate unrealistic expectations for parenting strategies, achievements and child developmental milestones.
And there are the lingering effects of the pandemic on children’s learning, social skills, and mental health that continue to require parents’ time and attention.
The stressors of modern-day parenting are taking a toll on parents’ well-being.
As the Surgeon General notes, the well-being of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the well-being of their children.
- Those caring for a child’s mental health are 2.8 times more likely to report diminished mental health and 2.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health condition themselves.2
- Burnout is already high in the U.S. with 44% of employees feeling burned out.3 Parenting demands, particularly the hyper-scheduling of children, leaves little time for self-care, which is critical to overall well-being.
- The APA notes that 66% of parents report feeling consumed by worries regarding money.4 Financial worries have been linked to poor sleep, physical health and mental well-being.
Parenting stress is also impacting the workplace.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 90% of families include at least one working parent; 65% have two working parents.5 Not surprisingly, with all the challenges described above, working parents may find it hard to bring their A-game to work each day.
Studies show that parents helping a child with a mental health challenge spend about eight hours a week managing their child’s mental health needs.6 The childcare crisis means they also may not show up to work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that the number of Americans absent from work to care for children returned to an all-time high in August 2024. Finally, parenting challenges may lead some parents—and studies show this is mostly women—to leave the workforce entirely.
So how can employers support parents?
The Surgeon General’s advisory calls for “a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents.” Given that we spend most of our days at work, it makes sense for employers to begin addressing some of these challenges.
Here are seven ways employers can support parents:
- Invest in employee well-being programs and Employee Assistance Programs to help with stress management, work-life integration, and mental and physical well-being.
- Offer flexible work arrangements like remote work, flexible hours, compressed work weeks, or job sharing.
- Provide generous and equal parental leave for all parents—mothers, fathers and adoptive parents.
- Consider on-site childcare facilities, back-up childcare, or subsidies for childcare expenses.
- Educate managers on the challenges faced by working parents, how to recognize signs of stress, and how to support parents effectively.
- Encourage more open and honest conversations about the work of parenting in the workplace and ask leaders to be good role models of work-life integration.
- Create and support parenting Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to listen to employees and foster a more inclusive, supportive and productive workplace.
The Surgeon General states that “caregivers need care, too.” But investing in support for working parents isn’t just a feel-good initiative—it’s a smart business decision resulting in:
- Increased employee loyalty and retention;
- Enhanced reputation as an employer of choice; and
- Higher overall productivity and job satisfaction.
And it’s not just employees with children who benefit. Employers who recognize and address the unique challenges faced by working parents create a more supportive, productive, and profitable work environment for everyone.
WebMD Health Services can help you create programs to support the well-being of all employees. Contact us at connect@webmd.net.
