Parental stress and loneliness are on the rise, experts say, as a combination of isolation, financial challenges and lost sleep put families under strain.
Dayna Lee-Baggley, a clinical psychologist in Halifax, says being a parent is often a difficult and isolating task. She has urged people to expand their social circle, and have interests outside of the household to allow them to take a break from parenting.
“One of the things we saw in the pandemic was, when you had to be with just your nuclear family it doesn’t always work that well and it’s not designed to work that way,” she said in an interview with CTV News. “We need other people, both out of loneliness and for practical reasons.”
Lee-Baggley also notes that because of social media, many parents might think they are keeping meaningful and healthy connection with other people.
“But watching social media feeds is not a social connection,” she said.
Lee-Baggley's not alone in her concerns. Across the border, a newly released advisory from the U.S. surgeon-general's office highlighted the strain on parent's mental health.
The release cited a 2023 American Psychological Association study that found 48 per cent of parents reported "completely overwhelming" stress, and a five-year review that found a shrinking proportion of parents saying they were coping "very well" with the demands of raising a family in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The data suggests managing busy schedules and bad behaviour, not getting enough sleep, financial strains and worries about children's health and safety have come at the cost of quality time with one’s partner and leisure time.
"Parents are struggling with loneliness at higher levels than other adults, and this is particularly true for single parents,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
“I’m not at all surprised by this and I’m glad that it’s being talked about,” Lee-Baggley said.
She suggested that giving children constant attention does not always lead to better parenting, and increasing a child’s independence could help develop life skills and free up time for parents while reducing stress.
“The toughest thing is giving up some of the free time that you had,” says Patrick Martha, father of a 15-month-old baby. “But it’s all replaced by all of these other wonderful things.”
Martha said he loves being a dad, but he also knows from his own personal experience, he has entered a chapter that requires his constant focus and attention — being a parent is priority one.
Hobbies and other interests have taken a backseat, he said.
“Without the time, it’s nearly impossible."
After meeting with transit workers and the local mayor on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where he canoed down St. Marys River and hosted a meet and greet at a local steel plant.
On the shores of the Avon River, 80 kilometres northwest of Halifax, Mother Nature has uncovered rich layers of 19th century maritime history.
Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who became one of the most well-known captives held by Hamas as his parents met with world leaders and pressed for his release.
The Liberal government's decision to reel in the temporary foreign worker program after loosening the rules to help businesses find workers after the pandemic is sparking a contentious debate about whether governments should even try to address labour shortages.
Tropical Storm Shanshan brought torrential rain Sunday to Japan ’s Shizuoka area southwest of Tokyo, as weather officials warned it would linger for several more days.
Rescuers have located a helicopter that went missing in Russia’s far east with 22 people on board, officials said Sunday.
The trio of troubles are expected to dramatically transform how consumers shop in the decades to come, but Mother Nature can be unpredictable, making it hard for retailers to prepare their inventory for weather patterns months and even years in advance.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with distracted driving after being caught taking a video of a crash scene on Highway 417 earlier Saturday evening, said the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Marmosets can communicate with one another by name and know when they are being addressed, joining a very short list of species exhibiting such behaviour, and a first for non-human primates, a new study has found.
Prince Albert police responded to over 100 calls in a 12-hour period on Friday evening, making for a busy night.
On the shores of the Avon River, 80 kilometres northwest of Halifax, Mother Nature has uncovered rich layers of 19th century maritime history.
All that stood between five-year-old Emma Shingleton -- who has a rare neurodegenerative disease that has rendered blind, and unable to walk, talk or crawl -- and a robotic walker that could make her life a little bit brighter was about $50,000 and with a little help from complete strangers, an A&W and the folks in Auburn Bay, and a lot of bottle drives, she got one.
A Calgary cycling group is holding a bike ride that will double as a two-wheeled tribute to Johnny Gaudreau Friday.
An OPP officer clocked a man from Nottawasaga travelling on Highway 401 at 175 kilometres per hour on Friday.
After meeting with transit workers and the local mayor on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where he canoed down St. Marys River and hosted a meet and greet at a local steel plant.
Israel said early Sunday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages captured during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that ignited the Gaza war, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives' release.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris said former president Donald Trump 'disrespected sacred ground' in his recent appearance at Arlington National Cemetery.
Police said Saturday that a man will face misdemeanour charges after he stormed into the press area at Donald Trump's rally in Johnstown, Pa., before being surrounded by authorities and eventually subdued with a Taser as the former president spoke at the campaign stop.
Philippine authorities raided a suspected illegal online gaming and cyberscam complex in a central province and took into custody more than 160 people — mostly Chinese and Indonesians — who were committing internet-based crimes, officials said Sunday.
Seven people were killed and dozens were injured in Mississippi after a commercial bus overturned on Interstate 20 on Saturday morning, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections in a last-ditch attempt to get his name removed the state’s ballot ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The Liberal government's decision to reel in the temporary foreign worker program after loosening the rules to help businesses find workers after the pandemic is sparking a contentious debate about whether governments should even try to address labour shortages.
Two Albertans were appointed as independent senators Saturday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, prompting backlash from the premier.
As university students head back to campuses across Canada this school year, fewer international students will be among them, but the dip in enrolment is deeper than the federal government had designed.
Matthew Perry's 2023 death from what the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office determined were 'the acute effects of ketamine' cast a shadow over a medication that has been enjoying growing popularity as therapy for depression and other mental health conditions.
The end of summer means the return to packing lunches, and that rings alarm bells for parents of children with severe food allergies. Bans on nuts and peanuts were once a staple of school rules, and while a growing number of institutions have done away with those policies, advocates say the lesson should be to focus on prevention and treatment.
It's normal for kids and teens to get butterflies in their stomachs as the first day of school approaches, but those who struggle with chronic anxiety may need extra support, mental health experts say.
Children giggle as young people flash their smartphones to film robots carrying plates of freshly prepared meals on their inbuilt trays to deliver to diners in a busy eatery in Kenya's capital.
Marmosets can communicate with one another by name and know when they are being addressed, joining a very short list of species exhibiting such behaviour, and a first for non-human primates, a new study has found.
The world’s most frequently launched rocket — the SpaceX Falcon 9 — is cleared to fly again, federal regulators announced Friday evening, putting the vehicle back on track for two high-profile human spaceflight missions.
Fatman Scoop, the rapper who topped charts in Europe with 'Be Faithful' in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by such artists as Missy Elliott and Ciara, died after collapsing on stage at a show in Connecticut, according to officials and his family.
Some Oasis fans celebrated like a champagne supernova, while others looked back in anger on Saturday as online ticket sites strained under demand for the band's first shows for 15 years.
Director Tim Burton is shedding light on why Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin are not appearing in the upcoming 'Beetlejuice' sequel.
The trio of troubles are expected to dramatically transform how consumers shop in the decades to come, but Mother Nature can be unpredictable, making it hard for retailers to prepare their inventory for weather patterns months and even years in advance.
Forecasters are expecting further Bank of Canada interest rate cuts, but does that mean it's a good time to buy or sell a home? Real estate analyst Jason Mercer shares his predictions with CTV Your Morning.
Brazil started blocking Elon Musk's social media platform X early Saturday, making it largely inaccessible on both the web and through its mobile app after the company refused to comply with a judge's order.
The photos are grainy, poorly lit or pixelated. The flash has washed out the subjects or illuminated only a portion of the scene. There may be a tiny orange time stamp in the bottom right-hand corner.
Parental stress and loneliness are on the rise, experts say, as a combination of isolation, financial challenges and lost sleep put families under strain.
With children and students spending more time online, they need to be prepared for the threats they could face in virtual spaces.
Paralympic triathlon competitions in Paris scheduled for Sunday have been postponed because of concerns about water quality in the Seine River after heavy rainfall, organizers said.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot Saturday during an attempted robbery, the city's mayor said.
The widow of Johnny Gaudreau called her husband 'the absolute best dad in the world' and thanked him for 'the best years of my life' in two Instagram posts shared Saturday.
Regular car maintenance can prevent unexpected breakdowns in your vehicle while keeping you safe on the road, and looking after the vehicle's tires is as important, according to experts.
Unless policies or technologies change, the ownership cost of electric vehicles needs to decrease by 31 per cent if Canada wants to reach its sales target of 60 per cent EVs by 2030, according to a new report released Thursday by Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux.
A 70-year-old from Ottawa is facing charges after clocking 160 km/h on Highway 417 to "get away from a bad driver" Wednesday afternoon, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Drivers going by a Kitchener roundabout may have noticed something unusual – a tent set up on the centre island.
A family-owned B.C. wilderness resort designed and built by HGTV's Timber Kings – who said it was one of the "coolest and most challenging" projects they have undertaken – has hit the market for $21.5 million.
Alan Dougherty, co-owner of Estevan's Orpheum Theatre believes the historic theatre’s future is up in the air following recent flooding.
A First Nations community west of Calgary has officially reclaimed its traditional Stoney Nakoda name. The Stoney Nakoda Nations held an event on Thursday to officially rename Morley to Mînî Thnî.
A piece of Manitoba history is up for sale.
A man who says he was attacked by a bear on a popular Halifax-area trail says he’s lucky to be alive after the unusual and terrifying incident.
The owner of Inspire Studio in Minnedosa is dealing with a bit of a head-scratcher, as the statue outside her business has been vandalized three times, the most recent incident happening this past weekend.
Forty restaurants in 60 days seems like a tall task, but it was a challenge Moncton foodie Jason Gallant took head on to find the best lobster rolls and fried clams in southern New Brunswick.
A double dose of Manitoba talent will storm the runways of Paris Fashion Week, wearing distinctly homegrown designs.
New Democrat MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood Mitzi Dean is taking her name off the ballot in the upcoming provincial election in October.
Police in Delta say they’re investigating after reports came in of shots fired in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A registered nurse in B.C. has had limits imposed on their practice by the regulatory body for the profession after they were found to have diverted narcotics from the workplace.
One person has been pronounced dead following a shooting in the Belgravia area.
A driver was injured after their pickup truck went into the garage of a home in Scarborough late Saturday night.
A number of changes are coming to Ontario classrooms this fall as students return to school. Here’s a list of what can be expected:
The widow of Johnny Gaudreau called her husband 'the absolute best dad in the world' and thanked him for 'the best years of my life' in two Instagram posts shared Saturday.
Calgary’s water consumption was 492 million litres Friday, which was five million more than the city consumed Thursday and 42 million litres more than the target of 450 million litres a day that the city has set for residents.
All that stood between five-year-old Emma Shingleton -- who has a rare neurodegenerative disease that has rendered blind, and unable to walk, talk or crawl -- and a robotic walker that could make her life a little bit brighter was about $50,000 and with a little help from complete strangers, an A&W and the folks in Auburn Bay, and a lot of bottle drives, she got one.
An Ottawa driver has been charged with distracted driving after being caught taking a video of a crash scene on Highway 417 earlier Saturday evening, said the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Ontario Provincial Police were busy on Saturday morning issuing tickets to distracted drivers allegedly using their phones to film a serious crash on Highway 401 in eastern Ontario.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca takes a look at what's open and closed in Ottawa on Labour Day, Sept. 2.
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook Quebec early on Sunday morning.
A 47-year-old man accused of murder appeared in Joliette court on Saturday following a fatal shooting in Saint-Lin-Laurentides. Stephane Lamaute, a resident of Saint-Lin-Laurentides, faces a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Pierre-Daniel Bentivegna.
Doctors explain IVF is often reserved for complex medical problems or infertility, with difficulties even-split between the male and female partners. In about 20 per cent of cases, both partners have troubles.
Despite the former Royal Alberta Museum building's demolition sentence, Edmontonians who want to see the building saved haven't given up.
After meeting with transit workers and the local mayor on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where he canoed down St. Marys River and hosted a meet and greet at a local steel plant.
Two Albertans were appointed as independent senators Saturday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, prompting backlash from the premier.
Glendon Shields was arrested Saturday in relation to an ongoing assault and threats investigation.
The fiancé of late Nova Scotia battle rapper Pat Stay says ongoing community support has allowed her to open a business in Dartmouth.
On the shores of the Avon River, 80 kilometres northwest of Halifax, Mother Nature has uncovered rich layers of 19th century maritime history.
CTV News Winnipeg reached out to Travel Manitoba to discuss some of the best fall road trip destinations in the province.
As the Winnipeg Blue Bombers prepare to take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders Sunday, some Manitobans are travelling to Regina to cheer on the Blue and Gold in-person.
Those looking to get out and move, groove and eat some good food this weekend can look no further than the Ikea parking lot.
Amateur boxers from Saskatchewan and Manitoba had their gloves up Saturday for the annual New Line Boxing Academy’s ‘Back Alley Boxing Exhibition.’
Thousands packed the Victora Square Mall grounds Saturday for the fifth annual Taste of Philippines festival.
A man has died following a collision on a highway near Estevan, Sask. on Friday night.
A Cambridge, Ont. woman hasn't been able to live in her rental home for six months because of mould and she's upset her landlord isn't doing anything about it.
A new minor hockey team in Cambridge, Ont. is breaking away from tradition by not joining one of the sport’s most recognizable governing bodies.
Conestoga College’s Board of Governors has decided to extend President John Tibbits’ contract for another year.
The Saskatchewan RCMP laid charges in connection with the Friday homicide of 28-year-old Andy McKenzie of the La Ronge area.
With the school season around the corner, visitors at Pike Lake Provincial Park are enjoying the last long weekend of the summer.
The mayor of Allan is voicing frustrations over a group of aggressive dogs, saying they've become a threat to community safety.
After meeting with transit workers and the local mayor on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where he canoed down St. Marys River and hosted a meet and greet at a local steel plant.
A Cambridge, Ont. woman hasn't been able to live in her rental home for six months because of mould and she's upset her landlord isn't doing anything about it.
A group of four hunters have together been fined $16,500 for illegally killing a cow moose, then lying to try and cover it up.
A number of changes are coming to Ontario classrooms this fall as students return to school. Here’s a list of what can be expected:
Thousands of first-year Western University students moved into residence Saturday.
Huron County OPP is asking the public for help identifying a suspect involved in an alleged break and enter.
Thousands are in Orillia for this weekend's Pirate Party Festival, the Port's final signature summer event.
Around one hundred students moved into Georgian College Orillia Residence on Saturday as the academic semester gets set to begin.
An OPP officer clocked a man from Nottawasaga travelling on Highway 401 at 175 kilometres per hour on Friday.
A number of changes are coming to Ontario classrooms this fall as students return to school. Here’s a list of what can be expected:
In case you missed it, CTV News Windsor has gathered all of the top local stories from this week into one video for your convenience.
Ontario residents will soon be able to pop into their local corner store to grab beer, wine, and ready-to-drink cocktails as the province proceeds with a plan to expand the alcohol retail marketplace.
New Democrat MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood Mitzi Dean is taking her name off the ballot in the upcoming provincial election in October.
A man who was reported missing in Port Alberni was tragically found dead, having fallen 50 feet down a steep embankment, according to local Mounties.
After Kevin Falcon suddenly withdrew candidate endorsements—so some could be poached by the BC Conservatives—many BC United candidates who were suddenly left in the lurch are angry.
The driver of a semi truck and trailer that plunged off of a bridge in the B.C. Interior Saturday morning has not been located, according to police.
The emergency department at Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre in Merritt is once again closed due to limited physician availability.
A 33-year-old man is facing multiple charges for allegedly setting several fires in Vernon on Monday.
Recent rain and cooler temperatures have helped reduce the fire risk in southern Alberta.
With mid-summer temperatures in the forecast for the long weekend, the City of Lethbridge issued a reminder Thursday that a Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) advisory remains in effect for Henderson Lake Park.
A Crown prosecutor says two men convicted of mischief and weapons offences at the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., should spend nine years in prison, but defence lawyers think their clients have already spent enough time behind bars.
After meeting with transit workers and the local mayor on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where he canoed down St. Marys River and hosted a meet and greet at a local steel plant.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrapped up his visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Friday, without any official announcements being made. One political expert believes these types of ‘photo-op only’ visits will become the norm across northern Ontario for federal politicians.
As we head into the Labour Day long weekend, Ontario Provincial Police are stressing that drivers follow all of the rules of the road.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
The federal government has temporarily paused parts of the newly reinstated commercial northern cod fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland as landings approach the seasonal limit.
The final edition of The Telegram newspaper’s daily print hit the stands in St. John's, N.L., on Saturday, marking the end of a 145-year run and a move to weekly print version with daily stories online.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
