According to research conducted in the United States, the mental load of women is greater than that of men in parenting
Amid the pandemic and a worsening mental health crisis among children, a Pew Research Center survey of American families reveals that fathers and mothers have many worries, and mothers, in particular, carry much of that mental burden. The survey of more than 3,700 households in the WE, conducted in the fall of 2022, revealed that adults worry about their children for a variety of reasons, with mental health concerns topping the list. Mothers were particularly concerned that their children might suffer from anxiety or depression at some point, while 32% of fathers said the same.
When asked about a number of potential threats to one’s children, for example mental healthbullying, kidnapping, physical assaults, drug or alcohol problems and shootings: mothers were consistently more worried than fathers and Hispanic mothers mothers in particular were more likely than white, black, or Asian mothers to say they were extremely concerned that their children might go through these experiences. The survey found no comparable patterns among parents of different racial or ethnic groups.
That is, mothers were more likely than fathers to say that having children is stressful and tiring all or most of the time. They said they do more than their partners to handle childcare responsibilities (most parents said the split is roughly equal).
Mothers feel judged
Mothers were also more likely than fathers to report feeling judged by people other than their spouses for the way they cared for their children, including by relatives, friends and other fathers and mothers in their communities. And they were more likely to say that having children was “much harder” than they expected.
They are also more likely to see motherhood as the defining element of their identity: 35% described being a mother as the most important aspect of their personality, compared with 24% of fathers. Rachel Minkin, a Pew research associate who helped write the report, drew attention to the threads connecting the responses.
“Mothers find maternal work very important, but also more tiring and stressful,” she said. “Mothers say they’re more concerned, and when it comes to parenting styles, fathers are more likely to say they tend to be overprotective. So you can see how those issues affect each other.”
The report is the first comprehensive survey of parents in the United States that Pew has conducted since 2015. The results of the previous survey illustrated the challenges facing working parents, with mothers and fathers reporting that they struggled to balance work responsibilities with their roles. family. The adults also shared concerns about the children’s mental and physical safety.
The sources of stress have only intensified in the years since, as the pandemic has put extra pressure on working moms and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned of a precipitous decline in mental health among teens and tweens.
Faced with this complicated scenario, mothers seem to feel more subject to control by others. They were more likely to say they felt judged “at least sometimes” by their mothers and fathers (47%) or by their spouses or in-laws (45%). Mothers were also much more likely to report feeling judged at least sometimes by other mothers and fathers in their communities (41% of mothers, compared with 27% of fathers). Fathers, on the other hand, were more likely than mothers to say they feel judged by their spouses or partners for how they care for their children.
The research offers an illuminating portrait of parenting in today’s turbulent times, Minkin said: “It’s really exciting to be able to do this research now.” /TRANSLATION BY RENATO PRELORENTZOU
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
