Even Good Parents Have No Clue What They’re Doing
Next time you feel guilty running off to work while your two children cry “mamaaaaaaa!” and your house it a total disaster and you have yet to buy your kid’s school supplies despite it being late August, know this: you are not alone.
A new study shows the majority of British parents think they’re doing a lousy job of raising their children. And, as expected, they’re plagued by guilt, reports The Independent. I’m pretty sure the results would be similar in North America, where parents have a self-imposed need to be perfect while forever struggling to find that elusive work-life balance.
The research, which include a survey of 2,000 parents, found that parents of teens are mostly likely to experience self-doubt and confusion over how to raise their kids. Here are some other interesting results:
- 54% of those surveyed said they were not good mothers or fathers and said they lacked basic confidence in their abilities.
- 63% revealed they were racked with guilt daily over their perceived lack of parenting skills.
- Less than 20% said they have total confidence in the way they raised their children.
- Women turn to their friends first when seeking parenting advice, while men are more likely to turn to their own mothers.
Not sure if these results are supposed to make me feel better or worse. On the one hand, it’s nice to know I’m not alone with my neuroses. On the other hand, what is it exactly that’s making the vast majority of parents out there question their parenting abilities? Is this unique to our generation, or has this been going on forever?
(Photo: BananaStock)
