To the Editor:panalobet

Re “Helping Parents at Their Wits’ End,” by Vivek H. Murthy (Opinion guest essay, Aug. 30):

The new advisory by the surgeon general about the well-being of parents and their stress levels is an important clarion call. Parenting is hard — and it’s getting harder for the generation of Americans sandwiched between caring for young children and aging parents. The stresses of caregiving cut across generations and affect millions of families who lack adequate support.

Our country faces a crisis of care, and we must address the systemic problems at its core. Instead of simply offering coping strategies to stressed parents, we must implement concrete solutions that can actually alleviate some of the stress, whether caused by financial concerns, child care needs or caring for the elderly.

That means we need policies like paid family and medical leave, which, since their introduction in 13 states, have been shown to reduce stress and postpartum depression in young parents and can significantly reduce the lasting financial hardships that come with a serious medical diagnosis like cancer.

People are having children later in life at the same time that our population is aging — making caregiving the norm for millions of American families. In this new reality, we can no longer rely on a patchwork of solutions. We must recognize caregiving as a public good, not just a private burden.

Tara Dawson McGuinnessWashingtonThe writer is executive director of New Practice Lab, an organization that tackles cutting red tape for families with young children.

To the Editor:

In his essay, Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, correctly points out that stress experienced by parents across the country has reached crisis levels.

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