While parenting has always been challenging, raising kids in today’s world is uniquely stressful. In addition to balancing work and family life, parents are anxious about the state of the world, their finances, and their children’s safety and mental health.

With so much to worry about, parental stress has reached a fever pitch. A 2023 survey found that nearly 50% of parents felt completely overwhelmed, almost daily.

As psychotherapists who focus on emotions, we know that stress spreads. Children can quickly detect their parent’s stress by the tone in their voice or the expression on their face, such as a furrowed brow or a scowl. Letting out a heavy sigh is also a sign.

The ability to catch another person’s emotions is known as “emotional contagion.” When children observe their pa

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