Not to be even more depressing, but…parents are “especially likely” to think 2021 was the worst year ever. According to a OnePoll survey, 2021 was “even more hectic” than last year for parents. Seventy-two percent of 25-40-year-old parents were especially likely to cite “parenting difficulties,” followed by 62% of 18-24-year-old parents. Sixty-one percent of respondents believe the pandemic made them “completely rethink” how they parent their kids, with men (68%) more likely to say so compared to women (57%). Only 15% of parents say they haven’t reevaluated their parenting style. Some of the reasons parents say 2021 felt more difficult include homeschooling, getting their kids back to in-person schooling, the cost of living increasing due to the pandemic, and keeping their kids safe from the virus. Twenty-four percent of parents want more accessible childcare options, 20% want federal paid leave, and 17% want more remote or hybrid work options. Other popular requests include the COVID vaccine for kids under the age of five (13%) and a better healthcare system (9%). However, the majority (73%) of Millennial parents are optimistic they’ll make up for lost time with their kids in the new year. (Study Finds)