Stressed Parents Are a Serious Public Health Concern

Reaching out is important, surgeon general say
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 28, 2024 1:25 PM CDT
Stressed Parents Are a Serious Public Health Concern
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy hugs one of his children during a visit to his parents' home, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, near Miami, Fla.   (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has served in three administrations, and he says that while parenthood is joyful and fulfilling, "the truth is it has also been more stressful than any job I've had." In an op-ed at the New York Times, Murthy says the stress and mental health challenges faced by parents are a "serious public health concern for our country," which is why he is issuing a surgeon general's advisory to call attention to the issue. He notes that according to a recent study, some 48% of parents say stress is completely overwhelming most days, compared to 26% of other adults.

  • Parents 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," Murthy writes. Stress is compounded, he writes, "by an intensifying culture of comparison, often amplified online, that promotes unrealistic expectations of what parents must do."

  • "Something has to change," Murthy writes. "It begins with fundamentally shifting how we value parenting, recognizing that the work of raising a child is crucial to the health and well-being of all society." He says progress has been made in recent years with expanded access to early childhood education, among other things. But there is much more to do to "make parenting sustainable," including expanded child tax credits, paid time off, and having "safe, affordable before- and after-school care programs."
  • Beyond government support, individuals including "family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers" can play a vital role, Murthy writes. "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," he writes.

  • Murthy, a father of two, recalls tough days of being "helpless and heartbroken" when his daughter was a year old and needed surgery for a deep infection in her leg. "We got through it because of excellent medical care, understanding workplaces and loved ones who showed up and reminded us that we were not alone," he writes.[
  • "It's still hard for me to admit when I feel I'm falling short as a parent. But each time I reach out to a friend or family member, or each time I respond when someone reaches out to me, I feel more ease and less stress," he writes. "The experience has taught me that parenting at its best is a team sport."
(More parenting stories.)

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