Every June 1st, Global Day of Parents is celebrated all over the world. This holiday observance was created by the United Nations, and everyone is encouraged to honor parents and all that they do for their children. This day is celebrated in different ways around the world, but the message is always the same: We should honor parents everywhere who are making the sacrifices necessary to ensure that their children are happy and healthy.

The History of Global Day of Parents

This holiday can be traced back to 1983 when the United Nations began to focus more attention on the issues surrounding the family unit. On the advice of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission for Social Development requested that the Secretary-General enhance awareness among decision-makers about the problems affecting the family unit and how those problems can be addressed.

On December 9, 1989, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1994 as the International Year of the Family using Resolution 44/82. This was followed by Resolution 47/237, which decided that May 15th should be observed annually as International Day of Families. The final proclamation that the UN issued regarding the family was in 2012 when they proclaimed June 1st as the Global Day of Parents—a holiday designed to honor parents and all they do around the world.

Facts About Parents and Parenting

While researching this holiday, we came across some interesting facts about parents and parenting that we would like to share. Let’s take a closer look at the following facts so that we can all gain a better understanding of how challenging the job of being a parent can be.

• Approximately 64% of children in the U.S. live in homes with two married parents. This is a downward trend from the 1960s when 88% of American children lived with their parents.
• Homes with two parents are likely to have higher high school and college graduation rates.
• After divorce, children are 50% more likely to develop health problems.
• Forty percent of children are born to unwed mothers. Two-thirds of them are under the age of 30.
• Single mothers often spend over half of their income on housing expenses and a third of their income on child care.
• Single mothers are more likely to be poor than mothers in two-parent households.
• Single-father households have increased ninefold since 1960.

Observing Global Day of Parents

Every year, the United Nations posts a wealth of material about how people can observe this holiday around the world. People can also gather on their own and share parenting ideas with one another or seek out quality parenting information from medical professionals. Another way to spend this holiday is for parents to spend time with their children. Everyone observing this holiday should also use the hashtag #GlobalDayOfParents on their social media posts for the day.