Posted on 02/08/2006 4:02:23 AM PST by LouAvul
Any parent will tell you kids can be depressing at times. A new study shows that raising them is a lifelong challenge to your mental health.
Not only do parents have significantly higher levels of depression than adults who do not have children, the problem gets worse when the kids move out.
"Parents have more to worry about than other people dothat's the bottom line," said Florida State University professor Robin Simon. "And that worry does not diminish over time. Parents worry about their kids' emotional, social, physical and economic well-being. We worry about how they're getting along in the world."
Simon knows from experience.
"I adore my kids," she said in a telephone interview. "I would do it over again. There are enormous emotional benefits. But I think [those benefits] get clouded by the emotional cost. We worry about our kids even when they're doing well."
The depressing results seem to be across the board in a study of 13,000 people. No type of parent reported less depression than non-parents, Simon said.
Some parents are more depressed than others, however. Parents of adult children, whether they live at home or not, and parents who do not have custody of their minor children have more symptoms of depression than those with young children all in the nest, regardless of whether they are biological children, step children or adopted.
Other research has shown there's a bright side to raising kids, too. One study of people with younger children found the parents have greater social networks and higher levels of self-confidence than non-parents.
"Young children in some ways are emotionally easier," Simon said. "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems."
The research, announced today, was published in the American Sociological Association's Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Simon also found that married parents are less depressed than the unmarried. But, surprisingly, the effects of parenthood on depression were the same for men and women.
Part of the problem, Simon figures, is that Americans don't get as much help at parenting as they once did, or as is the case in other countries.
"We do it in relative isolation. The onus is on us," she said. "It's emotionally draining."
The primary data was pulled from a study done in the late 1980s. But Simon checked the results against a repeated version of the study from the mid-90s and reached the same conclusions, and she said there is little reason to expect a new survey would yield much different results.
"People should really think about whether they want to do this or not," Simon said of parenting.
LoL!
Liberals are always over analyzing themselves, trying to figure themselves out. Eventually their brains will implode. It seems they already are suffering from mass loss.
Poor kid!
Maybe if one of them stayed at home for a few years with the kids, life would get more relaxing. Their children deserve their time and energy!!
I mean, raising a child IS draining and tiring at times, but most of the time the happiness it brings me is greater.
You said it! The question isn't whether the children are good for the parents. The question is how good the parents are for the children. I'd like to see a study of how well the children of the "drained" parents succeed, compared to the children of parents who bear the burden lightly.
A schedule like that is close to child abuse.
I'm 41 and nothing would make me happier than having a child. It helps that my wife is 10 years younger and makes good money. Since I'm disabled I would be here to care for a child.
It may not be the most traditional way of doing things but having one parent in the home all the time is the best way.
Articles like this one seem to imply life - when lived properly - is without conflict.
Raising my son was indeed stressful..challenging..at times sorrowful. It was also exciting, fun and rewarding beyond expectation. Anything I really know about love I learned from being a mother.
All worthy endeavors have moments of doubt, fear and worry. The best tools I discovered to deal with being a mother are: A) A sense of humor and B) Prayer.
Anyone who is never stressed when raising kids isn't paying attention to what they're getting up to!
That said, I have a large family and for every moment of grief they've brought me they have repaid with a dozen times more pride and happiness.
Yup--move over "Greatest Generation"! Here comes the "Perfect Generation". Of course, it'll also be the "Last Generation"...
Kids cause depression? How about stress? One bumper sticker I once saw said it all - "Avenge yourself! Live long enough to be a burden to your children!"
An error of the first magnitude!
perfect.
My word, if your sister-in-law is burned out from this schedule, imagine how messed up your poor nephew is!
As you are recovering from the nervous breakdown, caused by your inability to grasp the fact that one cannot be with a child 24/7, it may bring you laughter.
Don't mock me, my friend. It's a condition of "mental divergence". I find myself on another planet, Ogo, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate barbarian hordes on Pluto. But even though it's a totally convincing reality in every way...I can feel, breathe, hear...nevertheless, Ogo is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend?
He's fine, that was about 6 years ago. That lasted about 6 months before she gave up. He didn't want to do any of it, other than he liked to play soccer with his friends. She finally realized that she was doing all that for her own selfish reasons. Mostly to impress her peer group of "soccer moms".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.