Building Resilient Families: Challenges of Parenting in the 21st Century

Today, depression and anxiety are the leading mental health issues. [WHO] “Anxiety has increased substantially among children and college students over the last three decades," says Jean M. Twenge. "The average American child in the 1980s reported more anxiety than psychiatric patients in the 1950s”- called the “Age of Anxiety.” [Medical News Archive] The advance and impact of technology has eroded family time. In the 21st Century, women are now asserting their rights as equal partners, divorce is not uncommon, living together is becoming a norm so are single parents by choice. So, what can parents/family do? According to Silberberg [2001] the findings of an Australian study on family resilience indicated that strong families can adapt to changing circumstances and have a positive attitude towards the challenges of family life. They deal with these challenges through communication - talking things through with each other; supporting each other in times of…