For many parents deep in the trenches of raising children, there are moments when parenting feels nothing short of hard. The truth is that parenting in 2026 presents unique challenges that many families a generation ago simply didn’t face: social media, endless information overload, and, for many, the absence of a dependable village or support system. Yet alongside those challenges, there are also meaningful resources available to today’s parents in ways there never have been before. One of those local resources is Rose, founder of Clementine Coaching.
From Rose’s perspective, parenting truly is harder in some ways than it once was. “We have more spaces now,” she explained, pointing to the constant influence of social media and online parenting culture. “Parents are fearful they’re doing something wrong, or that something is wrong with their child.”
As a former developmental therapist, Rose says she increasingly sees parents turning to social media as a kind of diagnostic tool. Short-form content often reduces nuanced topics in child development to quick checklists and oversimplified conclusions, leaving parents feeling anxious. Even when clinical screenings show no developmental concerns, many parents still walk away worried. “There’s only so much space online to share an idea,” she said. “The nuance gets lost.”
Rose referenced a viral story from a mother who described forcing herself through a family outing simply because it was the type of thing she saw other families doing online. When her therapist asked if she even enjoyed it, the answer was no. “But I feel like that’s what moms do,” the woman said. It’s a sentiment Rose sees often: parents shaping their lives around what looks good instead of what actually works for their family.
Alongside that pressure is an emotional weight many parents carry every day. One mother told Rose she felt “crushed” by the demands of motherhood, work, and daily life. Another described feeling like she “gets a C at everything”: at work, in parenting, and in managing the household. “This is how a lot of women feel,” Rose said.
And while many fathers are becoming increasingly involved and emotionally engaged in parenting, Rose says many dads are experiencing the same anxieties and fears. Today’s parents are more self-aware than ever before. They think deeply about how they were parented and the ways their own childhood experiences shaped them. Even loving, well-intentioned parenting from previous generations can leave emotional marks people are still unpacking as adults.
But as Rose notes, part of the exhaustion comes from believing there is a perfect formula. “Parenting is just hard work,” she said plainly. “There is no shortcut.”
She believes that modern self-care has often been marketed as an indulgence rather than a sustainable practice. Instead of thinking only in terms of spa days or beauty treatments, she encourages parents to consider what genuinely restores their nervous system in everyday life, such as taking a walk during lunch or waking up earlier for quiet time, emphasizing the importance of self-care habits that are actually sustainable. “When you know you have that walk later, the day becomes easier to get through,” she explained.
At the same time, many parents are navigating all of this without the “village” that previous generations often relied on. “We’re becoming more individualistic and more competitive.” Many parents feel pressure to appear as though they have everything together: the happy family, a clean house, thriving children, and a successful career. But the performance of perfection can leave people feeling isolated. “It’s vulnerable to share struggles openly,” she said.
That isolation only intensifies stress and burnout. Rose believes humans are not meant to carry parenting alone, and often what people need most is not advice, but simply someone safe to talk to. “The other person doesn’t even have to solve it,” she said. “Just speaking it out loud helps.”
For parents trying to build support systems, Rose encourages starting small: finding people with whom you can have honest conversations, attending local moms’ groups, or slowly opening yourself to community. “Like dogs, we have to sniff each other out,” she laughed.
She also emphasized that there is no shame in seeking professional support. Many parents consume endless parenting books, podcasts, and online advice, yet still feel stuck because they are trying to apply generalized information to deeply personal family dynamics. “There’s no replacement for working with another person who can bring a real perspective that a book can’t,” she said.
Rose sees two extremes happening in modern parenting at the same time. On one hand is increasing perfectionism. And on the other hand, confusion is created by ever-changing parenting labels and trends. Terms like “gentle parenting” dominate online spaces, often with little context, leaving parents unsure whether they are setting healthy boundaries or simply becoming permissive out of fear of repeating authoritarian patterns from their own childhoods.
Despite the noise, Rose believes parents can offer themselves more grace. “We want to do the best we can for our kids,” she said. “But there are choices they will make someday that we can’t control.”
That grace becomes especially important for mothers navigating inevitable changes in identity. For some women, motherhood doesn’t always feel the way it is often portrayed online. And many feel guilty admitting they miss parts of themselves outside of parenting. “It can be hard when your child gets to be two or three, and you realize you’re trying to figure out what you even like anymore.” In her self-help club, she often sees mothers searching for what she calls “pre-mom me,” trying to reconnect with hobbies, interests, and parts of themselves that existed before children.
At the same time, burnout is becoming increasingly normalized, often disguised as “doomscrolling”, numbing behaviors, or constant distraction. “I catch myself doing it too,” Rose admitted. “Am I watching this because I want to, or because I’m trying to cope?”
When asked what practical changes parents can make right now, her advice was surprisingly simple: buy less, simplify more, and stop comparing. “Kids don’t need that many toys,” she said, noting how heavily new parents are marketed to during vulnerable seasons of life. She also encourages families to simplify routines where possible: cook once and eat twice, reduce unnecessary obligations, and stop measuring their lives against heavily edited online versions of other families.
And perhaps most importantly, she encourages parents to release the expectation of perfection altogether. “There’s no right way to do this,” she emphasized. “You will still make mistakes.” Like we tell our children, mistakes themselves are not failures. They are opportunities to model repair, accountability, and humanity for our children. Apologizing after losing our patience or reflecting on unhealthy patterns matters far more than trying to appear flawless.
Despite the heaviness many parents are carrying, Rose remains hopeful. “What gives me hope is how much people care,” she said. “Parents genuinely want to be good parents. They want to raise kind kids, emotionally aware kids, thoughtful kids.”
Rose is the founder of Clementine Coaching, an Indianapolis-based small business dedicated to helping people find more joy in their everyday lives. Her work is centered around self-development and parenting.
Learn more about her work through Clementine Coaching or follow her on Instagram at @rose.clementinecoaching
