Show Notes
Parental well-being is linked to the well-being of kids – it affects kids’ health, their learning, and, ultimately, their futures.
But right now, parents and caregivers are incredibly stressed. That stress is harder to manage when you feel you’re on your own, which is why it’s concerning that parents, particularly single parents, report high levels of loneliness.
In this week’s episode of House Calls, Dr. Murthy talks about why we need a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize parents’ well-being. He also reads a preview of his latest advisory, Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents.
Learn more at https://surgeongeneral.gov/parents.
(00:02) Why is parent mental health so important? (00:54) What is The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Parent Mental Health and Well-Being? (01:12) Why is parenting one of the hardest jobs? (02:22) Why is parenting so essential to our society as a whole? (02:55) What are some modern-day parenting challenges? (04:39) What has the U.S. Surgeon General learned in his conversations with parents across America? (05:18) How can parents’ mental health and well-being be better-supported?
We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at [email protected] with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.
More from House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy
As Dr. Murthy's term as the 21st U.S. Surgeon General comes to a close, House Calls is ending, too.
As Dr. Murthy prepares to conclude his term as Surgeon General, the moment is , the moment is bittersweet: serving as Surgeon General has been the honor of his lifetime, and saying goodbye is hard.
On a recent trip to India, the Surgeon General sat down with the delightful and inspiring father-daughter duo of Aamir and Ira Khan. Aamir is a renowned and beloved actor and producer, appearing in some of India’s biggest films. Ira Khan is founder of the Agatsu Foundation, a peer support and counseling center in Mumbai.
“You can re-imagine anything.” This was life advice that fashion designer Phillip Lim was given by his mother. His family escaped the Khmer Rouge and came to America as refugees. They had no resources and had to start over from scratch. Somehow, Phillip rose to become one of the most successful fashion designers in the world. He started his label 3.1 Phillip Lim with his business partner when they were both just 31 years old. In this heartfelt episode of House Call, we catch Phillip in a moment of evolution, surprising the fashion world by stepping away from his company and starting a new, unknown chapter in his life. As he opens up about his continuous journey of becoming, of re-imagining his life, Phillip and the Surgeon General ponder: how do you distinguish between success and fulfillment? How does being part of a community help our mental health? Why is creativity and sense of play so important? What is the connection between beauty and the values we live? While they come from very different worlds of medicine and fashion, Phillip and the Surgeon General are both guided by love of community, a desire to help others, and the inspiration of their mothers. (02:46) What role has Phillip Lim’s mom played in his life? (06:20) How did Phillip Lim maintain a sense of optimism in his early life? (09:20) How did curiosity and creativity put Phillip Lim on an unexpected path? (15:27) How did Phillip Lim navigate the competitive world of fashion? (18:54) What practices does Phillip Lim use to stay grounded? (23:02) What is the difference between success and fulfillment for Phillip Lim? (26:33) How can we find the courage to make big life changes? (31:58) How is Phillip Lim building community and advocating for mental health? (42:32) What message does Dr. Murthy have for Phillip Lim’s mother? (48:05) Phillip Lim asks Dr. Murthy for advice on empowering others to be seen, heard, and show up for each other. We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at [email protected] with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.
Do you feel you can no longer talk with people who hold different opinions? Has anger become the predominant tone? If we want this to change, how can we as individuals, change the way we talk and connect when we differ?