State of families 2025: parents miss connection.

State of families 2025: parents miss connection.

Stichting Voor Werkende Ouders shared the results of the 'State of Families 2025'. This year 8,729 parents took part in the research. Although 94% of parents like living in the Netherlands, they also have worries. For example, about their children's future, politics, and connection with others.

Positive appreciation, but also worries

Parents rate the Netherlands a 7.3 for family friendliness, a slight increase from 7.1 in 2024. In addition, 94% of respondents find the Netherlands a nice country to live in as a family. Still, many parents see problems, especially about costs, flexibility, and the balance between work, family, and care. They worry about their children’s future, affected by social factors like the hardening of society and the influence of social media.

Performance pressure and need for community

It is remarkable that parents speak for the first time about the performance pressure they feel in their parenting. They often feel they fall short in their role as a parent, partly due to high expectations from society and the perfect image shown on social media. Moreover, parents miss a feeling of community and solidarity. They feel families are more and more left to their own devices.

Stronger together

Joining with other parents can bring many benefits. As parents among themselves, but also with the school. One parent says: “I get along very well with the parents from my oldest child’s class. We share many problems and often find solutions together.” In 2024 Ouders & Onderwijs organized an award ceremony focused on this: schools where parents feel welcome and taken seriously.

A parent-friendly school is a place where parents and school can truly work together as one community around the child. Only together can you really be there for the child.