Parenthood has always been full of unpredictability, from late-night wake-ups to calls from school when something is wrong. Dealing with a sick or scared child is just part of the dynamic of family life. However, modern parents in the United States are facing additional challenges and a decline in stable institutions, leading to increased stress, insecurity, and exhaustion. We are living in an age of tremors.
This trend has been developing over the past 50 years. Economic and social policy decisions in the 1970s shifted risks from the government and corporations onto households, as noted by political scientist Jacob Hacker. While this shift mainly refers to economic changes like pensions being replaced by 401(k)s, it also extends to the expectations placed on parents, particularly mothers, to hold everything together. Unfortunately, the increase in dual-income households hasn’t been met with policies like affordable childcare or mandatory paid leave. Instead, families have been left to navigate complex and competitive markets to find basic services like daycare or summer camps.
What’s different in the 2020s is that these breakdowns are happening more frequently. Families have been facing numerous challenges in recent years, such as shortages of infant formula and common medicines, rising childcare costs and availability issues, unexpected school closures due to extreme heat, and delays in summer camp start times due to Canadian wildfires.
There are various causes for this increased volatility. Climate change, public-policy decisions, and profit maximization by corporations all play a role. The infant-formula shortage, for example, was mainly caused by the shutdown of a single factory, highlighting the issue of a few companies dominating the market. Additionally, the rise of “just-in-time scheduling” in low-wage industries has led to unstable work schedules for employees, especially parents. This model often leaves customers in a lurch if a sole employee cannot make their shift or quits suddenly. Surprisingly, there are only a few places with laws to limit just-in-time scheduling.
At the same time, years of neglect have resulted in public systems breaking down. Insufficient funding and outdated processes have led to decaying public services and unresponsive government offices. Applying for childcare assistance can be a nightmare, and even well-resourced states struggle with timely payments to providers. Parents of children with disabilities also face long processing times for applications and limited support staff.
All of this explains the apparent disconnect between people’s perceptions of their personal lives and the state of the country. While individuals may have indicators of personal success, there is an underlying atmosphere of instability and anxiety. A reasonable sense of control is vital for mental health, and constant concerns about things like formula supply or finding necessary medicine only contribute to a general feeling of precarity.
This constant precarity doesn’t discriminate based on wealth. Research shows that parents’ mental health has declined significantly in recent years, even before the pandemic. There is a high level of parental exhaustion, burnout, and loneliness. Concerns about the impact of climate change on children’s futures are widespread. All of this stress and insecurity can affect the entire family.
Some may argue that this situation is not entirely new, as parents in the past faced their own uncertainties. However, today’s parents have even less predictability than those from the last quarter of the 20th century. Income and job instability have increased, and the decline of social institutions like labor unions and community organizations means there are fewer support systems to rely on.
However, a permanent age of tremors is not inevitable. Policymakers can take steps to stabilize the ground and support families during these challenges. Making healthy and predictable family life a policy priority is the first step. Strengthening the child-care system, implementing robust paid leave policies, reinvesting in public services, reducing administrative burdens, and limiting just-in-time scheduling are all ways to shift risks from families back onto government and corporations. The overarching goal should be reducing chaos and allowing parents and children to deepen their connections with each other and their community.
It’s disheartening that the current state of affairs prevents families from fully embracing the wonders of modern life. We have made great strides in medicine, with many childhood diseases eradicated and new treatments continuously emerging. There is also a renewed interest in creating child-friendly communities that can withstand climate disruption through the expansion and improvement of parks and the development of natural playgrounds. Technological advancements make it easier than ever for parents to connect with loved ones across distances. There is so much to enjoy and look forward to, but the constant fear of the next crisis holds parents back.
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