"More quality time" but "no breaks": COVID-19 parenting among predominantly White, married, U.S. mothers

Family life dramatically changed following the COVID-19 pandemic onset. Parents faced school and childcare closures, employment changes, and other disruptions to daily life. This study utilized online survey data collected in late April 2020 (N = 1,009) of parents' experiences parenting children from 0 to 12 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents in the study were primarily White (82%), married (82%), and women (89%) with one or two children (75.1%). This qualitative study explored the challenges and rewards of parenting during a public health crisis. Parents responded to separate open-ended questions asking about the rewards and challenges of parenting during COVID-19. The responses to each question were coded independently and then combined to identify broader overarching themes. Using descriptive qualitative analysis, we identified six themes related to both parenting challenges and rewards: shifting roles and responsibilities, structure and routine changes, staying at home, relationship changes, parental adaptation and well-being, child well-being, and emotional experiences. A subset of parents reported the same experiences as being both rewarding and challenging, which reflects the duality and complexity of parenting during the pandemic. These findings are interpreted through a positive psychology lens and highlight the benefit finding that exists even when parents are in extremely stressful situations. We discuss the implications of this research for better supporting parents both during and outside of major crises. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).