Nungua: Some concerned women in Nungua and Tema have acknowledged that the lack of support from the community and family in raising children is contributing significantly to working parents’ stress. Raising children was never a sole responsibility of parents; it was a collective duty shared by grandparents, aunties, neighbors, and even older children in the community. This communal model of parenting ensured that no mother was ever truly alone, and every child had a watchful eye and guiding hand.
According to Ghana News Agency, today, that structure is fading, and some modern mothers, particularly those living in cities, are struggling to keep up with the demands of parenting without the traditional support systems once provided by extended families. The pressures of modern life have shifted parenting into isolated units, often leaving women to juggle full-time jobs, household duties, and childcare on their own. The result is growing emotional and physical exhaustion, especially in urban areas where family members are scattered and neighbors remain strangers.
Madam Miriam Garr, a retired teacher and evangelist in Nungua, said in the past, everyone knew their roles because grandparents passed on wisdom, aunties provided support, and even fathers were more involved in the extended family setting. Madam Garr added that children freely moved between homes in the community where a grandmother could discipline a child as her own, and a neighbor would step in without being asked, stressing that ‘parenting was shared, informal, and deeply rooted in cultural values; however, urbanization and migration have broken that chain.’
She added that the journey of motherhood was very tough for her because of the nature of her husband’s work, which resulted in several transfers from one region to the other across the country; however, with her faith in God and the support of her husband, she raised seven children. ‘It takes grace, perseverance. It is not an easy thing, especially if your mother is no more; as a mother, you sacrifice your everything, but as they grow, you look at them and begin thanking God,’ she stated.
Ms. Theresah Adu, a teller with a financial institution in Tema, said the absence of nearby family means turning to paid carers or struggling to balance it all alone. ‘Sometimes, I feel guilty; when my child is sick and I still have to go to work, I think of how my own mother never had to make that choice,’ she said. Ms. Adu said the financial cost of raising children has also increased, with daycare, private schools, and domestic help adding new burdens, noting that ‘in rural areas, some of the communal child-rearing spirit remains, but even there, social changes are creeping in.’
According to the 2023 Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report, Ghana was ranked as having the fourth most stressful workers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report encompasses responses from both male and female workers, many of whom are likely to be parents. This suggests that a sizable portion of the workforce is managing the dual burden of professional stress and the challenges associated with raising children, compounding their overall stress levels.