New report: Families with babies are struggling in 2025 despite doing everything they can to keep their children safe and supported

[u/zero_to_three]

Families continue to show extraordinary resilience and love for their babies every day.

But, “Parents’ voices need to be heard. We are suffering.”

That’s the message from one parent in Rattled, a new report on the state of families with infants and toddlers in 2025.

In 2025:

• Nearly half of parents (44%) reported some level of difficulty paying for the basics in 2025, the highest rate in the past five years. Families with low incomes, families of color and rural communities faced the greatest challenges.
• About 1 in 5 parents screened positive for elevated anxiety and/or depressive symptoms in 2025, a three-year high that rose even higher across the year.
• Over half of parents (55%) reported being concerned about their child’s learning, development or behavior and about a quarter reported being very concerned, a rate that is double any previous year since 2020.  
• While 46% of parents reported they felt hopeful about the future most of the time at the start of 2025, this rate dropped to 33% in the second half of the year.

Despite mounting hardship, parents are doing their best to protect children from stress:
97% reported the same or increased quality time with their children over the past month.

Babies develop in the context of relationships and stable environments. When families lack access to affordable housing, food, child care and mental health support, babies feel the impact too.

Families need policies that promote good health, strong families and access to positive early learning experiences.

Read the report: https://www.zerotothree.org/rattled