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I think my husband and I have adjusted pretty well to the demands of parenting over the past five years.
We go to bed earlier, keep more fruit in the fridge and play with bubbles a lot more now than we did when it was just the two of us at home.
What we struggle with is taking breaks from parenting, even though we know it would be good for us to have date nights or lean into hobbies that have nothing to do with our kids. We talk about going out but then quickly drop the idea when it’s time to find a babysitter.
I know from conversations I’ve had with mom friends that our struggle is not unique. Across the country, parents without close friends or relatives nearby worry about leaving their kids with a near-stranger, despite the fact that parents have been doing just that for decades.
Last week, as I read a new report on trust from Pew Research Center, I realized that the recent surge in anxiety about babysitters likely stems, at least in part, from a broader surge in distrust.
Today, just one-third of U.S. adults (34%) say most people can be trusted. That’s down from 46% in 1972.
That data point bums me out even though I’m part of the problem. Pew’s research showed that I’m right to assume that declining trust creates big problems — and not just for young parents.
“Trust is the oil that lubricates the frictions of daily life,” researchers wrote. In its absence, people are less likely to help their neighbors and friends.
An absence of trust can also lead to dissatisfaction with life.
“People who say most people can be trusted report greater life satisfaction than those who say you can’t be too careful. They tend to report being happier, more satisfied with their health and more likely to describe their family life as excellent or very good,” Pew found.
Here are some other findings from the trust survey that stood out to me:
- White Americans are more trusting than non-white Americans and older Americans are more trusting than younger ones.
- Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are among the most trusting people of faith in the U.S. Nearly half (48%) of Latter-day Saints say most people can be trusted, compared to 35% of Catholics, 51% of Jews and 28% of Muslims, the survey showed.
- On a related note, Utah is among the country’s most trusting states. Around half of adult Utahns say most people can be trusted, Pew found.
Pew’s study has prompted me to do some soul-searching — and at least entertain the idea of a kid-free date night.
Fresh off the press
Urban Meyer says he almost left Ohio State over religion
The case that could change the legal system as you know it
First, he became pope. Then, he took down LeBron James
Another major church is splitting with the Trump administration over refugees
Term of the week: Polaris Network
The Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network is a program run by Princeton Theological Seminary that serves young Christians who lead in non-church settings.
The Polaris Network helps these leaders connect with others who put faith at the center of their careers while helping the seminary expand its mission at a time when demand for traditional ministry degrees is declining.
“In a lot of ways, these young people are teaching us how to be a seminary for the next generation,” said the Rev. Kenda Creasy Dean, the Mary D. Synnott professor of Youth, Church and Culture and one of the architects of Polaris, to Religion News Service.
Religion News Service‘s article noted that the Polaris Network is one of many programs emerging to serve young people who are committed to Christian leadership but don’t feel called to ministry.
What I’m reading...
The Trump administration has rescinded a record-setting fine against one of the country’s largest Christian schools, according to Christianity Today. The Biden administration previously hit Grand Canyon University with a $37.7 million penalty after investigating its grad program costs. Trump’s task force on anti-Christian bias heard about the fine — and the school’s claims of unfair treatment — during its first meeting in April.
I loved The New York Times’ recent look at the best ways to invite more happiness into your life. In addition to highlighting good advice, the article has a memorable layout with fun photos.
I’ve written about how few people read books once they’re no longer in school. A new study confirms that the Bible is among the books gathering dust on bookshelves. “U.S. adults increasingly view the Bible as a book worth reading multiple times, but few have actually done so,” Lifeway Research reported.
Odds and ends
I wrote last week about the popularity of a Pope Leo trading card. Apparently, Pope Leo bobbleheads are selling well, too, according to a press release from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
And finally, my favorite religion headline of the week: Churches hope to tap the power of pickleball.