Parenting stress, parent–child relationship, and parents' attitudes toward personal leisure

Parents of young children often experience greater levels of stress due to the demands of childrearing, creating a well‐being penalty. While leisure helps alleviate stress, little research explores its impact on parental stress and parent–child relationships. This study examines the relations among parenting stress, parent–child relationships, and leisure attitudes. Data from 310 parents were analyzed using regression models. Results show that increased parenting stress leads to more conflict and less closeness, but positive attitudes toward leisure buffer these effects. Promoting leisure's benefits for both parents and parent–child relationships can enhance positive attitudes and reduce guilt around parents' individual leisure activities.