In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent statement made by the Surgeon General that parenting is now considered a health hazard. He said that stress, loneliness and financial woes are so acute as to limit the ability of parents to function in every day life. To be sure, there are some new parenting dynamics today that parents haven't had to face before. So how can parents navigate these challenges and come out on the other side intact?
There is pressure on today's parents to provide everything for their children - Dr. White mentioned the term “intensive parenting.” There are several articles that have talked about the impact this is having on parents, and we'd suggest you take a look at those:
Julie Jargon, “Parenting Is Hazardous to Your Health, the Surgeon General Warns,” The Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2024.
Clair Cain Miller, “Today's Parents: ‘Exhausted, Burned Out and Perpetually Behind',” The New York Times, September 16, 2024.
“Surgeon General Says Parenting is Horrible For Your Health,” The Skimm, August 29, 2024.
Even those outside of the U.S. have a consistent opinion that while the U.S. is an incredible land of opportunity, it is not a good place to raise children, with a lot of the problems stemming from the overprotectiveness of American parents. This was the subject of an article from The Atlantic that Alexis mentioned titled, “Why Parents Struggle So Much in the World's Richest Country.” She also mentioned a book written by Jonathan Haidt titled, The Anxious Generation.
One of the most difficult challenges facing parents today is the impact the online world is having on our children, and particularly social media. It's led to a culture of comparison for parents, and increased levels of anxiety for both parents and their children. The impact of social media was discussed in a past podcast, CCP25: On “Doing” Social Media. Social media has also been a contributing factor in the loss of childhood. This was discussed at length on the podcast in episode CCP43: On American Girl Dolls and the Disappearance of Childhood.
There are several series that Dr. White has delivered at Mecklenburg Community Church on parenting. You can find those messages in .mp3 and .pdf formats on the Church & Culture website at the following links: “Parent Traps,” “The Under Protective Parent,” and “Parent-Child Turning Points.”
Finally, finances play a big role in some of the stress that parents face when raising children today. For many Millennials and those in Generation Z, these concerns are fueling a desire to not have children to begin with. You can check out the article “Almost 1 in 4 millennials and Gen Z-ers say they won't have kids due to finances” from CBS News HERE.
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