UNSEEN BATTLES
Parenting is one of the few roles in life that is truly irreplaceable. It transcends responsibility—becoming a lifelong emotional commitment marked by both profound joy and invisible struggles. While society often celebrates the visible milestones of childhood—report cards, birthdays, school admissions—it rarely acknowledges the unseen battles parents face in nurturing, guiding, and protecting their children every single day.
Across species, caregiving is a natural instinct. But among humans, parenting is also deeply symbolic. Small objects—a hand-me-down book, a school bag, or a family heirloom—carry emotional value not because of their material worth, but because of the love and legacy they represent. For children, a parent is a universe condensed into two comforting arms. They are providers, protectors, mentors, and companions—often all at once.
Yet, parenting in the 21st century is becoming increasingly complex. Traditional family structures are shifting. Joint families have given way to nuclear households, and rising numbers of parents are raising children on their own, either by choice or circumstance. Where once the burden of caregiving was distributed across generations, today’s parents are often navigating it in isolation—while also juggling professional responsibilities, financial pressures, and societal expectations.
The Modern Parent’s Balancing Act
In an age where both parents are part of the workforce, time has become one of the most precious—and scarce—commodities. The challenge lies not only in managing the logistics of everyday life, but in maintaining emotional presence amid work deadlines, school projects, and ever-growing to-do lists. The emotional toll of this constant balancing act is significant. Feelings of guilt, burnout, and inadequacy are common, particularly among working mothers, who still carry the larger share of caregiving duties in many homes.
Economic stress further compounds these struggles. The cost of raising a child—factoring in education, healthcare, and extracurriculars—has grown substantially. For many families, ensuring even the basic needs of children requires financial sacrifices. When parents are unable to meet these needs, the emotional strain is profound, often leading to anxiety and feelings of failure.
Navigating the Digital Age
Technology has brought with it a new layer of parenting complexity. From screen time management to online safety, today’s parents must be digitally literate and constantly vigilant. The pandemic-induced shift to online education has only deepened these concerns. Parents now worry not just about academic performance, but also about their children’s attention spans, social development, and exposure to potentially harmful content.
Behavioral challenges, too, have become more pronounced. Issues such as defiance, emotional outbursts, or social withdrawal can be difficult to manage without adequate support. Parents often find themselves torn between enforcing discipline and fostering emotional security. And all of this unfolds in a social landscape where curated images of “perfect parenting” on social media platforms fuel unrealistic expectations.
The Emotional Labour of Parenthood
Perhaps the most under-acknowledged aspect of modern parenting is its emotional and psychological weight. Parents invest not just time and money, but their identities, aspirations, and emotional bandwidth into raising their children. Every tantrum, academic challenge, or health scare becomes a personal battle. The constant worry—about doing enough, being enough, giving enough—can lead to chronic stress, especially when parents feel unsupported.
Mental health experts are increasingly calling attention to this hidden burden. “The pressure to be a perfect parent is intense. Social media has created a false benchmark that many feel compelled to meet,” says Dr. Aisha Menon, a Mumbai-based psychologist. “We see parents blaming themselves for circumstances beyond their control—be it economic instability or a child’s learning difficulty.”
Toward a More Supportive Society
Despite these mounting pressures, parents continue to show up—with resilience, with love, and with unwavering commitment. But to sustain this, society must play a more active role in supporting them. This means creating policies that offer work-life balance, ensuring affordable childcare and education, normalising mental health support for parents, and above all, fostering empathy instead of judgment.
Parenting is not a solitary pursuit—it is a social function. When we support parents, we invest in the future of our children and the fabric of our nation. Recognising the unseen battles of parenthood is not just about giving credit where it’s due; it is about building a more compassionate, balanced, and inclusive society.Because behind every well-adjusted child is a parent who fought countless battles in silence—often unnoticed, but always with love.
(Author is PhD in Sociology, University of Kashmir. Feedback: [email protected])
