The Depressing, Guilt-Ridden Lives of Parents

My sister (who, as it were, has no children who aren't cats) alerted me to this story, originally from Live Science.com:

Any parent will tell you kids can be depressing at times. A new study shows that raising them is a lifelong challenge to your mental health.

Not only do parents have significantly higher levels of depression than adults who do not have children, the problem gets worse when the kids move out. . . .

The depressing results seem to be across the board in a study of 13,000 people. No type of parent reported less depression than non-parents, Simon said.

So if you're a parent and you're depressed, your depression probably has something to do with your kids. Naturally, you will ask yourself whether your experience as a parent has been worth the strain on your mental health and accuse yourself of not truly loving your children. As a result, you will feel guilty about these feelings, and your guilt will exacerbate your depression.

Have fun.