During Wednesday's broadcast of “PBS NewsHour,” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy discussed advice on parental stress, saying that while there are many reasons for increased parental stress, “we are still suffering some of the aftereffects of the stress that has been imposed on parents by school closures during the coronavirus pandemic.”
“I think the pandemic has certainly added stress to a lot of parents' lives. I vividly remember what it was like having to homeschool my kids during that time on top of work, and how difficult it was. I think we're still living with some of the aftereffects of that stress,” Murthy said.
He continues, “But the pandemic has also changed the way we live our lives. I think in some ways being able to work hybrid has helped some parents because it gave them the flexibility to be there for meal times, like dinner, or to pick up their kids or be there if their kids needed anything during the day. But being available at any time through video or other remote means, I think, creates additional stress for parents because it can create an expectation that you're available at any time. So I think one of the things that's really important in the workplace is for leaders to understand what stresses parents are under, have policies that support them, like predictable schedules, have a culture where parents can make their schedules and balance work and family, have some flexibility, and if an issue does arise, like a child getting sick, have a culture where parents can accommodate that scenario and take care of their family without worrying that their work is going to suffer.”
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