Stress from parenting: causes and consequences

Raising and educating a child is a unique experience, but at times it can be a source of stress for parents.

In this article we will try to analyze the main ways in which raising children can lead to increased stress on their parents, as well as the main effects derived from this fact and that can affect at different levels.

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What do we understand by stress from parenting work?

When we think of parenting stress, we are actually talking about a very general phenomenon that occurs in many families with children. And it is that taking care of a minor is such a broad concept and that it covers so many situations that makes it necessary to analyze this activity in depth to separate some of its components main.

In this way, we will be able to better understand the different ways in which stress may be appearing due to the work of parenting, since they can be very different, although the final repercussions for the adult who suffers them are Similar. We will see some of these factors below, although that does not mean that they are the only ones that exist.

Likewise, it is important to understand that, like so many things in life, the experience of raising a child is totally personal and different in each case, so there will be parents who feel identified with several of these factors, others who do so with all of them and even that there are some who do not coincide with any of them, and who have never felt stress due to the tasks of raising the children. children.

Causes of stress from parenting responsibilities

Keeping these previous considerations clear, we can now go on to list those factors that may be causing or fueling the stress of parenting.

1. Lack of sleep

The first factor that we can analyze is that of lack of sleep. This variable occurs especially during the first stage of upbringing, that is, when the child is still a baby and, due to her physiological needs, repeatedly demands attention, regardless of whether it is day or night.

It is a totally normal fact, as well as it is that this generates difficulties to sleep all the necessary in the parents, who have to take care of their child, such as It is natural, even if it means waking up several times during the night to breastfeed or bottle, or meet any other needs you have in that moment.

Obviously, a bad night's sleep may not be a problem for anyone, but When it occurs repeatedly, we may be facing a source of stress due to parenting work. If the baby is exclusively breastfed, the problem of lack of sleep will affect primarily to the mother, unless the milk is previously expressed so that the father can give it the Babby bottle.

That is a system that many couples resort to to distribute in some way the turns or even the whole nights, so that the effort is shared and therefore the fatigue and the rest also be.

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2. Economic uncertainty

Continuing with the ways in which parenting stress can appear, we must not ignore the economic part of parenthood. Going through a period of crisis or job instability, or another situation that puts the acquisition of economic resources at risk, is a common source of concern for many people.

When this situation occurs and the person himself is the only one affected, the stress will be less than if it affects him and him. his partner, and even less than if there are children in the relationship, who totally depend on said acquisition of resources. Therefore, The fact of experiencing economic difficulties, together with the factor of having minors in charge, may be favoring an increase in anguish in the parents.

This form of stress can even appear as an anticipation, during pregnancy, as concern about future situations and expenses, which are not yet taking place.

3. Time management

Time, or rather the lack of it, is a way of arrival of stress due to the work of raising children. It is obvious that taking care of a child requires full involvement and investment of all kinds of resources, with time being one of the main ones. Parents soon realize that, given all the new tasks involved in caring for a baby, the day seems to have fewer hours than before.

For this reason, they are forced to give up some of their previous activities, or to try to do in less time some routines for which they were not so limited before. In this matter, the process of coupling to the new way of life is also important, and after a period of more difficulties, many parents see how this form of stress is reduced by the tasks of raising children. children.

4. Difficulties in parenting

We emphasized at the beginning of the article that each situation is unique, so very specific events may occur that pose an added difficulty to parentingEither because of the parents' or the child's own personality, because of the educational style, the form of attachment developed or any other factor that may be generating an imbalance.

In that sense, there will be parents who have more basic emotional management tools, or children who are calmer than others and therefore less likely to generate additional concern to their parents for various Causes. When these and other factors get out of balance, we could be facing another way in which stress from parenting tasks appears.

5. Health problems

Although in general, the diseases that children tend to suffer are frequent but mild in nature (colds, conjunctivitis, etc.) and therefore their health is not seen Overcommitted, it is still a source of concern for parents, who obviously do not want to see their children suffer, no matter how much it may be from a minor ailment. importance.

This anguish is especially pronounced in new parents, that due to their lack of experience and information, they may have a greater tendency to worry about any situation that escapes what they considered normal, such as a slight increase in temperature, which could be interpreted as fever when it does not necessarily have to be.

The health of children is a priority for parents, so it is not surprising that the concern arising from this issue can increase the level of stress in them.

Consequences of stress from parenting work

In the previous point we have reviewed some of the possible causes that could be favoring the appearance or increase of stress due to child-rearing work. Now we will pause momentarily to analyze some of the effects that this question can have on parents.

As we pointed out previously, these effects are not the only possible ones, and they do not necessarily appear in all cases.

1. Irritability

It is logical to think that a father or a mother, like any other person, who is subjected to constant stress, can see their irritability increase. Then, these individuals will feel angry more easily than in other circumstances in which they are more relaxed.

The negative part of this effect is that it can indirectly affect your children, for example by having less patience with them in certain situations.

2. Anxious and depressive symptoms

Stress from parenting is totally normal. The problem arises when, due to the specific circumstances of the case, that stress is greater than the person can bear, and is maintained over time. This is when additional difficulties may arise, such as anxiety and / or depressive symptoms.

As in any other situation in life in which the person is overwhelmed, it is best to look for ways to achieve the emotion management tools that you lack and that you are needing in that moment. One of the ways to do this is with the help of a professional psychologist.

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3. Couple conflicts

The last of the effects of stress due to child rearing that we are going to mention in this list is the hypothetical couple conflicts that may appear. Two people subjected to continuous stress, although they enjoy a great relationship, can see how certain frictions appear between them.

Logically, the stronger the relationship and the better the communication between the two, the more likely You will have to solve these incidents without any problem and learn from them so that in the future they do not Appear.