Parents are being encouraged to do less.
Mothers are embracing simpler parenting styles as stress rises amongst families
A growing number of families are stepping back from pressure to perfect every aspect of raising children, with experts saying “good enough” parenting may be healthier for both parents and children than constant optimisation.
The shift comes as many mothers and fathers report exhaustion, decision fatigue and stress linked to modern parenting expectations, from packed schedules and expert advice to social media comparisons.
Board-certified paediatrician Dr Mona Amin said she is increasingly seeing burned-out parents in her practice.
She told Motherly: “Parents are tired. Deeply tired. Five years ago, there was still a little more buy-in around the idea that if you just worked harder, researched more, optimised more, you could somehow outsmart the messiness of parenting. Now I think a lot of parents have hit the wall.”
According to survey data from Angelcare Group, many parents are simplifying routines, buying less and questioning whether extra products and activities genuinely help family life.
One finding showed 54% of parents admit to multitasking during diaper changes.
Dr Amin said: “It reflects how stretched parents are. Parents are answering texts, thinking about work, ordering groceries, mentally managing the whole household—all while changing a diaper. That’s not because parents don’t care. It’s because many of them feel like they have seventeen tabs open in their brain at all times.”
The concept of “good enough” parenting was first introduced in the 1950s by paediatrician and psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott, who argued children do not need perfect caregivers, but present and responsive ones.
Dr Amin explained the idea is resonating again because many families are overwhelmed.
She said: “‘Good enough parenting’ is landing differently now because it feels less like settling and more like survival with perspective.”
“Maybe the win is not perfection. Maybe the win is a child who feels safe, loved, and guided by a caregiver who is not unraveling over every little thing.”
Children benefit most from predictable routines, sleep, movement, nutrition, play and emotional safety rather than expensive products or highly structured schedules.
Dr Amin said: “Your child does not need a perfect parent. They need a steady one.”