Worry, Worry, Worry: Parenting Anxiety

By Lisa Kosan

Parenting makes moms and dads anxious – some say as never before. Here’s why and how we can break the cycle of stress.

My 4-1/2-year-old says good parents should give their kids snacks every day and “lots and lots of kisses and hugs.” Two of his friends add that mommies and daddies should be kind and play games.

That’s pretty good advice coming from the under-5 crowd. It’s also the kind of simple guidance that today’s stressed-out parents should heed, the experts say.

The complicated reality is that the job of parenting makes us anxious and unsure of ourselves even on the best of days. The job’s responsibilities can seem unbearable when you heap on 50-hour workweeks, economic strain and global unrest.