I’ve been hearing more and more about this age being “the age of anxiety” where worrying is at an all-time high, especially amongst millennials. Apparently, a large part of it has to do with choice. We have so many choices before us that we end up being a big, anxious mess out of pure decision-fatigue and end up not being able to figure out a lot of important things because we just don’t have the energy for it anymore.
I’ve been thinking about this “drive to worry” for quite some time. In fact, one of the posts I uploaded in the first couples of months this blog went live asked the question: “Am I the only one that seems to think that we live in a society in which we are wired to worry?”
I feel that this is all the truer since I’ve had a baby. It seems like my tendency to not worry about my baby’s well-being—and by worry, I mean wondering if she has a developmental problem just because she isn’t exactly like other babies her age, or if she has a nutritional deficiency when her diet is well planned and well rounded, things like that—is seen as a lack of love and concern for my child’s well-being. I am not allowed to be OK with the massive amount of research I have done, the countless number of books I have read, the large number of fellow parents I have grilled for advice, and my education in the health field. There is always that something that just might maybe perhaps happen.
Final Thoughts
I don’t know, guys. On the one hand, my husband and I do put a lot of time and effort into researching what’s best for our little one. But on the other hand, she clearly doesn’t have any signs of any sort of problem. Is it really wrong that, after all this research, after analysing the “data” that we have (in the form of an ebullient and adorable little baby), and the confirmation from her pediatrician that she is 100% fine, we choose not to worry and just enjoy this amazing gift that we have been given?
And how ironic, isn’t it, that I am worried about not being worried? Come on, guys, that deserve a slow clap 😉
{ Sahar’s Blog is all about being in a constant state of learning. So it only made sense for me to go back to all my previous posts and see how my thoughts on certain topics have changed over the last nine years. In this new, ongoing series of posts, I’ll be rereading some of my older posts and reflecting on the same topic in light of what I’ve learned since then. It’s going to be very interesting to see how things have changed! }
[…] Source: Worrying About Your Little One: Part of the Job or Societal Imposition? — Sahar’s Blog […]
Anxiety seems to becoming very common.
Being worried about worried seems to sum it up perfectly.
I’ve also read a lot about anxiety in children and have been wondering whether it’s always been the case and we didn’t know or whether it’s now happening for some reason.
Oh that’s such a good point–that maybe it has just always been the case. Any more thoughts on that, Michal? And have you ever blogged about anything like this? If so, do drop a link!!!
I found that the more I read about what I should be doing—especially in the form of parenting books and blogs—the more I worried. So for the most part, I read for my own pleasure instead, unless there’s a specific problem I’m trying to solve.
Oh this is so interesting, Catherine! I have been reading about parenting for years now because I have so many close friends who have had babies before me–so I didn’t have to read as much for my own. I wonder if that is part of what helps keep me so calm about it all? Thank you for triggering this thought!!!!