Parents of teenagers see “less tolerance for family responsibilities” from employers, even though their older children need it more than ever.

Lina Portman2 days ago

0 3 minutes read

There are few workplace resources and initiatives to support parents of teenagers, meaning mothers are forced to leave the workplace to care for their older children – just as they do. were when their children were very young.

There seems to be a widespread misconception about how difficult it is to parent teenagers, and employers often seem to overlook this phenomenon in the workplace. As part of an ‘anxious generation’ and with increasing mental health issues leading to teenagers not wanting to socialise or even leave their bedrooms, this age group needs their parents more than ever.

While maternity leave, dedicated caregivers and support groups exist for mothers who have just given birth, there are no such systems for parents of adolescents. As a result, parents caring for this age group must once again reduce their professional commitments, or even take “adolescent” leave to care for their children. Once again, it is mothers who are putting their careers on hold to take the reins and care for older children who still need them.

Talk to the The Financial TimesLeading expert on working parenting, Daisy Dowling, believes the rising incidence of mental health problems among teenagers is a key driver of their parents' need in the current climate – with almost one in five children aged 7 to 17 years old considered to be suffering from a mental disorder, this number has been steadily increasing since 2017.

Daisy Dowling acknowledges that employer initiatives and resources for parents of older children are virtually non-existent: “Parents of teenagers are almost invisible. Ninety-eight percent of resources are for people who go on parental leave and return. »

“Parents of teenagers are almost invisible. 98% of resources are intended for people who go on parental leave and return. »
Daisy Dowling

At this time in their lives, mothers themselves are going through a period of demetrism, a process of adjusting to the changing needs of their teenage children, against a backdrop of hormonal storms. The combined impact of the unexpected needs of older children and the lack of support available in the workplace for menopausal women can make this stage even more difficult to navigate if they need to take time off.

Jenny, a mother of two, is one parent who has had to make unexpected career changes to raise her teenagers. She tells us: “When my children went to school, I retrained to do the job I had always wanted to do, and I finally thought I would have the time and space to follow my own career path and not continue in the corporate one. I had been trapped since leaving university and hated it. But once my children started secondary school, I completely underestimated how much the stress would affect their health and how much they would need me.

In my new job, I mostly worked with young people who didn't have children and there was no flexibility or understanding about my situation despite the kindness of my colleagues. I ended up taking a job I didn't really want, simply because it meant I could be there for my kids in the evenings and during school holidays. It really was as if they were very small again, they seemed to need me so much. I don't know when I'll ever get back to the dream job I left behind.

With 13 per cent of parents taking time off work to support teenagers with mental health issues or leaving their jobs altogether, employers need to be more aware of the nuances of parenting in this age group. The statutory leave granted to parents to care for their older children allows them up to four weeks of unpaid leave per year for each child, capped at 18 weeks – this leave is also unpaid, meaning a policy overhaul is needed to allow parents to provide sufficient care for their children without the added implications of financial stress.

To learn more about parenting teens, if your the teenager doesn't want to talk to youtry our expert-backed tips on how to talk to a teenager. If you are wondering how independent should a teenager bewe have some helpful tips.