Parenting
fromPsychology Today
3 days agoWhy Parenting Feels So Overwhelming
Parenting has shifted into continuous mental labor and constant comparison, creating persistent stress despite abundant advice.
Research on cognitive labor suggests that the "mental load" people carry isn't just about remembering tasks. It appears to operate across multiple stages: anticipating needs, identifying options, deciding among them, and then monitoring the outcome. Parents don't just do things. They run a continuous simulation of what could go wrong, who needs what next, and how to make it all look effortless.