A Preliminary Study on What Parents Need to Succeed
Parents of children and teenagers are “going it alone,” without the support, encouragement, and networks that would make it easier to overcome the daily challenges of parenting, according to a poll of 1,005 parents by YMCA of the USA and Search Institute.
Most parents interviewed generally feel successful as parents most of the time, and they do many things to help their children grow up strong and healthy. However, they say that more support and affirmation from others would really help them as parents.
Key Findings
- A majority of the parents surveyed are going it alone in the vital and challenging task of raising children and teenagers. Most say they don’t often turn to their extended family, friends, and community resources for support in parenting.
- A key—but often lacking—resource for parents is a strong relationship with their spouse or partner. The parents we interviewed who experience an excellent partner relationship—regardless of whether they are married—are more likely to feel successful and up to the challenges of parenting.
- Most parents who were interviewed generally feel successful as parents most of the time. They do many things to help their children grow up strong and healthy.
- Most parents interviewed face ongoing challenges. Job demands, sibling rivalry, overscheduling, and the family’s financial situation are the factors these parents most often say make parenting harder.
- Many of the things that these parents say would really help them as parents are things that many people can easily do. These include talking with other parents, being affirmed for their parenting, seeking advice from professionals they trust, and having other adults they trust spend time with their children.
More Information
The Building Strong Families poll was a collaboration between the YMCA of the USA and Search Institute around strong families and parenting. It is part of the larger Abundant Assets Alliance, which combines the resources of the YMCA of the USA, YMCA Canada, and Search Institute.
