Not to be even more depressing, but…parents are “especially likely” to think 2021 was the worst year ever.

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)