The biggest challenges parents faced in 2024 — and how to navigate them in the new year

January 2, 2025

The Deseret News reports that in August of last year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a landmark advisory report on rising levels of stress among parents and sparked a national conversation on how to address its causes.

Among the biggest challenges parents faced in 2024 were how to regulate their children’s technology use and how to foster resilience and independence in their children.

Young children and teens with daily screen time face advanced algorithms and AI-driven content that are designed to captivate them and hold their attention.

For many, that screen time can become detrimental and lead to severe anxiety and deteriorating social and interpersonal skills as well as sleep disruption, social deprivation and addiction.

Parents are encouraged to limit or regulate children’s access to smartphones and social media to avoid some of the mental health issues that have arisen among young people.

When it comes to fostering independence and resilience in children, parents are encouraged to resist the urge to be a “helicopter parent” who anxiously hovers over their child at all times.

Parents and civil authorities are being persuaded to normalize independent activities like cooking a meal or walking alone, that children can safely do without their parents direct supervision.

It is also recommended that children be given time to live and play in stable, real-world communities rather than online networks.

The findings of the Surgeon General’s advisory come on the heels of a Feb 2024 Pew Research Center poll that found 30% of 18 to 34 year olds without kids, say they were “not likely at all” to have children due to the stress associated with parenting.

Photo: top, Credit: Zoe Petersen/Deseret News