Parenting 2025: Why Is It Harder Than It Was for Our Parents? – How difficult will parenting be in 2025? There have been numerous reports about the increasing number of couples choosing to remain childfree in various countries.
A survey by Global Research in Korea, for example, shows that 60% of working women choose not to have children. A similar trend is also evident in Indonesia. Although not as extreme as in Korea, birth rates in this country also show a consistent decline.
The causes of declining fertility rates are diverse. However, one of the main factors often cited by those who choose to remain childfree is the difficulty of having children in today’s world.
Tiktoker’s Confession: The Difficulty of Parenting in 2025
The issue of the heavy burden of parenting was also raised by TikTok creator Sarah Biggers-Stewart. The owner of the cosmetics brand CLOVE + HALLOW shared her thoughts on the difficulties of being a parent today.
She highlighted that the challenges of parenting are not limited to educating children, but also include doing various small things that turn out to be energy-consuming.
She gave an example that when she wanted to take her child to Disney, she had to plan the trip in detail and book accommodation two months in advance. Her video went viral, with many parents voicing similar complaints.
Biggers-Stewart also shared how parents are expected to be all-knowing and all-capable. They must engage in over-parenting to avoid criticism from society.
However, over-parenting, or excessive parenting, is not only physically exhausting but can also lead to prolonged stress for parents.
What Makes Parenting in 2025 So Difficult?
Sarah Biggers-Stewart’s video sparked a heated discussion in the virtual world. Based on this discussion, here are three main reasons why raising children in 2025 will be so difficult.
The Cost of Raising Children is Very Expensive
In various parts of the world, from Africa to Europe, the cost of raising children has skyrocketed and seems insane! In the United States, for example, just to raise a child to the age of 17, parents must provide US$310,000 or 5.27 billion rupiah.
In Indonesia itself, parents face challenges that are no less difficult. For example, to send a child to college, many parents have to take on debts of hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Not only lower-class children who cannot attend college without government assistance, but even middle-class families now have to struggle extra hard to provide an education for their children.
Cost of Living Unaffordable Salary
House prices, electricity costs, vehicle expenses, and overall living costs continue to rise without being offset by commensurate minimum wages.
Whereas in the past, a worker earning the minimum wage could save up for a few years to buy a house, this is now very difficult to achieve.
These enormous costs make it difficult for parents to meet their children’s needs. Let alone specific needs for their sons and daughters, many families struggle just to survive.
High Expectations
Beyond the financial burden, today’s parents also complain about high expectations due to the demands of over-parenting, as mentioned above.
In the past, parents in the 1990s could be more relaxed in raising their children, but now parents have to pay attention to every detail about their children.
In the United States, there was even a case that sparked controversy. In that country, a mother had to deal with the authorities because she allowed her 14-year-old teenager to go to the store alone.
Tips for Raising Children in 2025
So, how should parents deal with the above issues? Elizabeth Tenety from Mother.ly provides some specific tips to make parenting in 2025 feel easier.
Don’t burden yourself
Parents must learn not to burden themselves. There is no need to force yourself to throw expensive birthday parties, enroll your children in costly classes, or indulge in other burdensome social pressures.
Don’t hesitate to say no to parenting styles that you find too difficult to follow.
Find Friends and Family to Support Each Other
Second, find people who support each other. For example, build relationships with family, close friends, and even online forums to share with each other.
In addition to being a place to confide in, their presence can also be very helpful in various emergency situations.
Stop Being Too Controlling of Your Children
Third, don’t follow overly structured parenting patterns. There’s no need to be a perfectionist when it comes to managing every aspect of your child’s life.
In addition to being exhausting, children will also feel less free and unable to learn independently.
Apply Positive Thinking
Finally, think positively. Remind yourself that you have tried your best while reflecting on your actions. Do not compare yourself to parents from the past who lived in different circumstances.
So Here’s the Conclusion Regarding Parenting in 2025
Fertility rates in many countries are declining. One reason for this is the heavy burden of raising children in 2025.
Parents have to bear the high cost of raising children amid rising housing prices and transportation costs. Not to mention that parents are expected to be perfect in this day and age.
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Although difficult, these challenges can still be overcome with some special efforts. For example, by reducing expensive activities for children, seeking support from family and friends, thinking positively, and not applying overly perfectionist parenting.
With these tips, parents can breathe a little easier amid the pressures of parenting in 2025, which will indeed be very difficult.
@thebiggersthebetter Like the parenting is ofc hard but it’s literally everything else that sucks 😂 #parenthood #momlife #raisinglittles #realtalk #girltalk #motherhood #disneyworld #parentlife ♬ original sound – Sarah Biggers-Stewart
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