Suffering from stress, money woes and loneliness more than their childless peers, nearly half of parents can barely function, according to a new report from Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
Murthy says government aid, in the form of child tax credits, universal preschool, early childhood education programs, paid family and medical leave, paid sick time and investments in social infrastructure, can help. That’s in line with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign pitch, but GOP contender Donald Trump is also considering how to get more cash in parents’ pockets — an issue his running mate JD Vance has championed.
“The stress and the loneliness that parents are dealing with at a disproportionate level has real implications,” Murthy told POLITICO. “We’ve got to provide more financial support.”
Chronic and excessive stress caused in part by the bills they have to pay exacerbates parents’ mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, and can hurt children's development.
Four in 10 parents say they’re so stressed they can’t function most days, according to Murthy’s report, with two-thirds citing financial hardship.