Having kids is a lot of work and creates a lot of stress. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy made headlines earlier this year when he noted that parenting is more difficult than ever. Murthy said it’s time to recognize the stress and mental health toll associated with parenting is a serious public US health concern. According to Murthy’s research, 48% of parents often feel completely overwhelmed by stress. 

But one clinical psychologist says the answer may be ignorance. According to Darby Saxby, a professor at the University of Southern California, too many parents in industrialized nations put children at the center of their attention, consciously engaging and entertaining them. Instead, Saxby suggests “mindful underparenting;” that is, keeping children close, but ignoring their incessant pleas in order to focus on tasks that matter to the parent.

Mindful underparenting works outside the home, too. How many times have you received an urgent email from a coworker or boss requiring an immediate response? My advice? Delete it and focus on the task at hand. Chronic emailers are big boys and girls who surely must be able to figure some things out on their own. Nobody can be effective when a helicopter boss hovers nearby. And chances are, that “urgent email” was forgotten as soon as the boss hit “send.”

Wouldn’t it be great to take a “set it and forget it” attitude toward manufacturing? You can when you hire an effective contract manufacturing partner. Check out our contract manufacturing directory. It includes hundreds of contract manufacturers throughout the US and around the world who will take care of your manufacturing needs. Do the research, find the right partner and you’re free to innovate—not babysit.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Happi. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Tom Branna

Chief Content Officer

[email protected]