Parents are facing alarming levels of stress

Being a parent has always been a mix of joy and worry. But these days, it’s the worries that seem to be growing.  

Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling attention to the dangerous levels of stress facing parents and others who care for young children.

He called the state of their mental health a public health concern.

Almost half of parents with children age 18 or younger in a recent study from the American Psychological Association say that on most days their stress is completely overwhelming. A quarter of adults who don’t have children under age 18 report daily overwhelming stress.

Money and time demands have been a strain on previous generations of parents. But today’s parents are also trying to protect kids from increased violence, the downsides of social media, a youth mental health crisis and what Murthy has called an “epidemic of loneliness.”

MPR News host Angela Davis talked about why the stress has ratcheted up for parents and what can be done by individuals and through policies to better support families.

Guests:

• Ann Gaasch has worked with children and families for more than 25 years. She’s the chief executive officer of FamilyWise, a nonprofit organization that runs parenting education and support groups throughout the state.

• Bravada Garrett-Akinsanya is a psychologist who specializes in African-American mental health. She is the president and founder of Brakins Consulting & Psychological Services and the executive director of African American Child Wellness Institute, Inc.

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.