'One in four' Aussie parents stressed each day

A new survey has revealed a quarter of Australian parents feel overwhelmed on a daily basis.

The recent poll conducted by Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital surveyed more than 2000 parents caring for children aged 1-18 years old.

One in four reported feeling stressed every day, while almost half said they were impatient; one in three admitted they lost their temper, and later felt guilty as a result.

“Hours later I feel absolutely horrible, kids are fine… they’ve completely forgotten,” Coburg mother Lana Morrison told 9News.

When it comes to discipline, the majority of mums and dads use both positive and negative strategies.

Ninety-five percent give their child praise or attention, while 84 percent reward good behaviour.

However 61 percent shout or yell,  23 percent threaten physical discipline, while 17 percent use physical force.

“Physical discipline, we know from research, can cause both physical and psychological harm in children. But also, it’s not effective long-term in teaching children how to behave,” Dr Anthea Rhodes said.

While parents spend a lot of time thinking about how to manage their child's behaviour - almost half admit they aren't confident they would know where to go for help.

The advice from professionals is to seek support from friends or family, talk to your GP or even take a break if you're feeling stressed.