A survey has highlighted the fact that working parents are showing signs of “chronic stress,” and this needs to be taken seriously for the health of the parent, and the family. The pandemic has made it clear that work needs to be done to address the mental health of youth and everyone else, and this includes parents. Parents faced challenges that they've never had and work needs to be done to address them.
Working parents faced their own unique challenges, and studies are now being done to see just what the impact was, and hopefully to find ways to help.
According to MPR News, a new study has found that chronic stress is burning out working parents. This was done by Ohio State University, and it can be read in full here. The report found that two-thirds of working parents are showing signs of exhaustion and chronic stress.
It also found that most parents are stressed trying to juggle the demands of work and home life that they meet the criteria for burnout, which is a term that is reserved for the worst cases. There are many factors as to why this is, but a lot of them lead back to the consequences of the pandemic.
One of the biggest factors was the loss of regular schooling. When schools went remote, parents found themselves in a tricky situation, same with day cares. If they were working in office still, they had to find someone who would be able to watch their child, or leave their job. If they were working from home, they had to find a way to make it all work. While some employers were supportive and understanding, some moms had to leave their jobs because they could not cope. This meant that financial insecurity was now on the table, adding to the stress that was felt.
Parents are no feeling overwhelmed and isolated, and this can lead to a lot of issues for families. It can increase their irritability, it can create emotional detachment and its very core, it can leave mom feeling like she has nothing left to give. These are issues that can impact the entire family, and that is why it is so important that they are addressed by medical professionals. Parents need to be aware of when they are feeling burnt out and reach out for support. Though the world seems to be returning to normal, the effects are still continuing to impact parents and families.