I’ve never given my kids melatonin, but I get it. A lot of parents have zero family support, especially among the professional class who moved across the country or world for jobs. I personally haven’t gotten more than 7 hours of sleep since my 2nd was born 3 years ago. He only sleeps about 8.5 hours at night, and there are always chores and house maintenance to do, which I can’t do while the kids are awake since they’re the source of the mess. I’ve literally paid a babysitter so I can mow my lawn and trim the trees, but often the babysitters cancel so I can’t plan on doing any task unless I take a vacation day from work.
Nobody is forced to have children. Everybody knows what it requires. Yes, society should care more for the next generation and support parents.
Giving children drugs to calm them down is child abuse. Plain and simple.
Talking about the realties of raising young children is taboo. Anything other than an effluence of love is scorned, especially for women. I do believe most parents get caught off guard by some things. For example, how many times you get sick the first year in a group childcare setting (and how little it seems to slow down your kids). Or how your child will literally scream for your attention if you focus on something else for more than a few seconds, stop holding them, etc., until they’re in the 18 month range. Helping out with your siblings’ kids for a few hours isn’t the same.