Bucharest, March 19, 2026 – Romanians have some of the highest working hours in Europe, and families are beginning to pay the price. With an average of 38.8 hours worked per week – surpassing the European Union average according to Eurostat[i], – the lack of time and constant professional pressure are becoming major sources of primary stress for parents, with a direct impact on their bond with their children.
Data confirms this phenomenon: 6 out of 10 Romanian parents report struggling with stress and chronic fatigue, and the situation is even more acute for those with young children. According to a Reveal Research study on parenting challenges in Romania[ii], 65% of parents with children aged 0 to 6 say they feel constantly exhausted.
Stress has a definite impact on daily life. 55% of parents say that fatigue affects their ability to communicate, and 40% say they are unable to maintain a work-life balance. Experts warn that, under these circumstances, family time is increasingly reduced to a checklist of chores and responsibilities, causing the emotional connection with the child to suffer.
Similar findings are also reported in international research on parental burnout. The Parental Burnout Around the World[iii] Study, conducted among 17.409 parents in 42 countries, shows that parental burnout occurs in all the cultures studied, but is significantly more common in developed Western countries, where social expectations for parents are higher.
An increasing number of studies in developmental psychology and neuroscience show that early relationships between children and their primary caregivers influence emotional development, the ability to regulate emotions, and the way people form relationships in adulthood.
„There is a «hidden contract» that we learn from our first caregivers: we must do, be, or say certain things in order to be accepted and loved. This pattern extends throughout our lives and influences how we relate to our own children — especially the desire to «fix» things or to be a better parent than the one we had”, says Kelly McDaniel[iv], therapist and author renowned for the Mother Hunger concept. Kelly McDaniel will be in Bucharest for the first time on October 17-18, where she will explore these themes at ParentED Fest 2026.
What neuroscience says about the parent-child relationship
In turn, Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, psychotherapist and child development expert, explains how daily interactions between parents and children influence brain development:
„Children’s brain development is shaped by relational experiences with the adults in their lives; the way we connect with them, how we respond to their emotions, and how we handle difficult moments are key elements that influence their ability to regulate emotions and build healthy relationships”, explains Dr. Bryson, co-author, alongside Dan Siegel, of the bestseller The Whole-Brain Child, where neuroscience principles are practically applied to parenting[v].
„Children don’t need perfect parents; they need parents who are present enough and willing to repair the relationship when difficulties arise. Repair is one of the most important emotional learning experiences for a child”, adds Dr. Bryson, who will also be featured on stage at ParentED Fest 2026.
The theme of early parent-child relationships will be explored in depth at this year’s ParentED festival, in October in Bucharest, alongside other topics such as attachment, children’s emotional development, parents’ mental health, and the role of family relationships in children’s development.
The event is sponsored by: Strategic Partner: Lidl România/ Lupilu, Healthcare Partner: Sanador, Empowerment Partner: Fundația Kids Hero, Growth Partner: Raiffeisen Bank. Supported by: ThedaMar, Catena, Bog’Art. Educational Partner: English Kids Academy. Media Partners: Mind Architect, Itsy Bitsy, Mommy Hai. Editorial Partner: ZYX Books.
[i] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250514-1
[ii] https://reveal.ro/en/lifestyle-en/reveal-research-children-and-parents/
[iii] htps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7970748/
[iv] https://nancylevin.com/episode-97-transcript-encore-how-to-heal-your-mother-hunger-with-kelly-mcdaniel/
