This past August, the Surgeon General of the United States issued an advisory on the mental health and well being of parents. In his report, the Surgeon General warns that parents and caregivers are under more stress and pressure than ever before. The situation is dire enough that he felt an urgent need to spread the word - parents are not ok. In fact, 1 in 4 parents report that on most days they are so stressed they cannot function. This, in turn, affects children, and causes the rise of many issues in their own mental health and stability.
We know parenting is hard. We know that it’s always been hard. So what has changed? Why do parents feel as if they cannot even function on some days? There are many reasons - financial strain, demanding jobs, childcare issues, societal pressure, technology and social media. But the overwhelming reason many parents reported that they were struggling was a feeling of isolation and loneliness. A frightening 65% of parents say that they experience loneliness on a regular basis. Wow.
This warning, and the scary statistics that came with it, caught the attention of many of us who work with children and families. Of course, we could have written the report ourselves. We see the effects of stress on every aspect of a child’s life. Many of us feel helpless and even hopeless. We know that parents are struggling - and we see what happens to families when they don’t receive the help they need. It’s devastating. But what can we do?
The Surgeon General urges us to take a close look at how we treat parents in all aspects of our society, and to offer support wherever and whenever we can. And then he says “Raising children is sacred work.” Not hard work, or demanding work, or overwhelming work. Sacred work.
Well - Who better to help with this sacred work than the ones who are called to bring light to the darkness? The ones who were commanded to be Jesus’ hands and feet? The ones who were told to care for those overlooked, dismissed, and forgotten? In other words, who better than the church?
If raising children is sacred work, then the church is where parents need to be. The church is where they need to find help when parenting is too much. The church is where they need to turn to and find welcoming, loving, and safe arms.
We need to grab parents by the hand, pull up a chair right next to them, and say “I’ll do this sacred work with you. I’ll love your children. I’ll be here when you feel lonely. I’ll hold your crying baby, I’ll learn your children’s names, I’ll bring you supper when you have a really bad day.”
It is what we, the Church, are called to do.
This sacred work is so important - will you join me in it? Together, let’s tell parents they are not alone. Let’s share in their lives. Let’s hold their hands. And let’s lead them to the One who has loved them for all time.
Let’s do this sacred work.
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