Most parents say social media, polarization has made their job harder than in the past: Survey

Most parents say social media and political polarization have made child rearing harder than it was for past generations, a new survey shows.

The Collage Group, a consumer research firm based in Bethesda, Maryland, reported this week that 78% of parents of school-aged children responding to a recent survey agreed with the statement that “being a parent in today’s world is more difficult than it used to be.”

The research company flagged increased screen time and partisan rancor as key factors making it more difficult for parents to pass on their values about race, sexuality, holidays and various aspects of cultural identity.

Among the 4,077 parents aged 18 to 78 who responded to the questionnaire last summer, those under 44 were also more likely than older generations to report feeling pressured to be “perfect” caregivers.

“This is driven by social media, where younger parents are now exposed to so many more opinions,” Giana Damianos, Collage’s associate director of cultural insights, said in an email. “Societal expectations feel even higher, driving this pressure.”

Ms. Damianos chalked up increased stress among millennial and Generation Z parents to their growing up in “a world of far greater diversity than older generations,” making them more likely to feel overwhelmed by evolving cultural and political norms.

“Gen X and boomer parents, for instance, are more likely to think that teaching children about aspects of diversity and identity is unnecessary,” she added.

The findings come as public health officials have flagged increased screen addiction since the COVID-19 pandemic as a national crisis threatening teen academic performance, mental health and decision-making skills.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday that half of all adolescents between 12 and 17 reported using digital screens for at least four hours daily between 2021 and 2023.

The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics classified that as “high use” and noted it made teens more likely than their peers to experience anxiety and depression.

Reached Thursday for comment, some parenting advocates not connected with the Collage Group survey said it confirms that younger parents are struggling to bond with their children in an age of digital distraction.

“I do think that child rearing is harder today,” said Theresa Farnan, a moral philosopher who has served as a consultant on family issues to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

A mother of 10, Ms. Farnan pointed to research showing that younger parents are less likely than older ones to participate in organized religion.

That makes them more likely to seek expert advice online, where she said “carefully curated images of other families” can make them feel inadequate.

“This creates tremendous pressure to be perfect parents and to have perfect children,” Ms. Farnan added. “It also centers certain issues in the foreground, including racism and inclusion.”

Others rejected the idea that parenting has become harder, however. They pointed out that every generation has claimed to struggle more than their parents and grandparents with raising children, despite having the same access to common sense solutions.

“The more you unplug, the less pressure you feel, the less agenda you take in and the more you parent by your God-given instincts,” said Shane Winnings, the Florida-based CEO of the Christian men’s group Promise Keepers. “I do not feel pressured to be extra inclusive or diverse in my raising of my two sons because I don’t get parenting advice from social media.”

In a summary of the survey findings, the Collage Group’s Ms. Damianos advised companies to pay more attention to the values of families through the toys, foods and advertising they offer.

“Parents want their kids to be proud of their own cultural heritage and to have broader cultural awareness with an understanding of other practices, too, like holidays and foods from cultures other than their own,” she wrote.

Tim Sanford, a licensed professional counselor at Focus on the Family, said a growing number of special interest groups “vying for children’s interests and minds” is likely adding to parental anxiety.

“In this postmodern culture, there is no acceptable standard for what is right or wrong,” Mr. Sanford said. “Wise or foolish, each parent is left to find ’true north’ on their own.”