Parenting 2007

Parenting is Harder 70% of the public says it is more difficult to be a mother today than it was 20 or 30 years ago. 60% say the same about being a father. A Pew survey finds 56% of Americans say mothers are doing a worse job today than they did 20 or 30 years ago. 47% echo this about dads. According to parents and non-parents, the biggest challenge in raising children today is dealing with the outside influences of society. 38% of Americans list societal factors when asked to name the biggest parental challenge. The top concerns are drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, and the impact of TV and other media. Other challenges include teaching morals and values, maintaining discipline, handling the financial aspects of childrearing, and dealing with the educational system. Protestants are among the most critical of today’s mothers with 68% of white evangelicals saying moms are doing a worse job today. This compares with 54% of white non-evangelical Protestants, 50% of white Catholics and 47% of seculars.
Pew Research Center 5/2/07