Despite parenting worries, research conducted at the Brigham Young University, has revealed having children can actually lower blood pressure. Experts have claimed the sense of fulfiment found in raising children was rewarding and made life worthwhile.
The team monitored the blood pressure of 200 adults, 70% of whom were parents, taking into consideration other factors which may contribute to blood pressure, they found the effect to be greater in mothers than fathers.
Lead researcher and psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad said, “While caring for children may include daily hassles, deriving a sense of meaning and purpose from life’s stresses has been shown to be associated with better health outcomes.”
On the other hand, different research claims parents with work stresses can harm their children’s schooling.
Research shows parents who have extensive work stress can pass their feelings of disillusionment to their youngsters who in turn are more likely to lose interest in school work and experience exhaustion.
Parents and their children were asked the same work-related questions and a pattern began to emerge as both gave similar answers.
The recent recession and family finances may also have contributed to the problem. “The greater the families financial worries, the higher the level of experienced burn-out,” said Professor Katriina Salmela-Aro.
However, British experts say that children’s worries are not due to parents’ stress, rather it is due to a lack of attention from parents as the UK has the longest working hours in Europe.
