Overview
- A representative R+V Versicherung survey of families with children under 18 finds about 80% feel mentally burdened, with 27% reporting a strong or very strong load.
- Mental load refers to the nonstop planning and tracking of family tasks, and 78% say they feel they must think of everything, rising to 89% among mothers.
- More than half of couples report an uneven split of family management, and mothers carry most of the invisible organizing work.
- The pressure shows up in health and family life, as over 60% report chronic stress and exhaustion and nearly half say their children feel stressed too.
- Doctors and researchers in the coverage call it a systemic issue tied to work hours, childcare gaps and gender norms, and 75% want more state-run support while 72% say tailored services are missing.