Parenting stress is a health issue – US surgeon general’s advisory report

‘We know that the wellbeing of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the wellbeing of their children,’ the US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said. Photograph: kieferpix/Getty Images/iStockphoto

If you’re a stressed parent, you’re not alone. According to a new surgeon general advisory released on Wednesday, parents have been more likely to report high levels of stress over the last decade than adults without children.

“The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health of society,” writes the US surgeon general, Dr Vivek Murthy, himself a 47-year-old father of two. “We know that the wellbeing of parents and caregivers is directly linked to the wellbeing of their children.”