Parenting is a meaningful and rewarding experience — but it can also be demanding and challenging. The latest research confirms that, as in the workplace, prolonged parenting under high levels of stress and with limited resources can lead to parental burnout.
This phenomenon translates into emotional exhaustion, emotional detachment from children and a feeling of saturation in the parental role. Increasing social pressure to live up to ideals of intensive parenting, combined with still insufficient support for families, has contributed to this increased risk.
In Portugal, these challenges are reflected in striking demographic trends: the decision to have children is being postponed, fewer children are being born and childless households are increasing. Understanding and preventing parental burnout is therefore essential — not only for the well-being of children, but also for the mental health and quality of life of parents themselves.
This project places parental well-being at the center of scientific reflection and social intervention.