NEW ADVISORY STATES THAT PARENTAL STRESS IS BECOMING AN URGENT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Being a parent and certain levels of stress go hand-in-hand. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General, in a new advisory, has stated that parental stress is growing exponentially, vastly becoming an urgent public health issue. Stressed out parents. CANVA.COM The advisory entitled “Parents Under Pressure,” states that parents and caregivers are becoming increasingly becoming stressed out. The growing stress experienced by parents and its adverse effects on their mental health and, consequently, their children’s well-being is a serious problem. This advisory, following previous ones on gun violence, social media, and youth mental health, emphasizes the critical role of parental well-being in both child development and societal health. “The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health of society. Additionally, we know that the well-being of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the well-being of their children,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote in the advisory, highlighting his own parental experiences. “The stresses parents and caregivers have today are being passed to children in direct and indirect ways, impacting families and communities across America,” he continued. “Yet in modern society, parenting is often portrayed as a less important, less valued pursuit....