You often hear people asking, "Oh wow, how do you do it all?". For many, motherhood is a delicate balance between parenting, work, school, and whatever else. For me personally, I balance being a mom, working pretty much full-time from home, plus everything that comes with being a homeowner (cleaning, cooking, etc).
I never envisioned myself in this position, and I didn't realize that by wearing so many hats just how overwhelming it can be at times.
I admit that there are days when I just want to walk away from it all, from being a mom and from working. I would love to just get away and not have the responsibilities that I have. I love being a mom, but to be able to just get away from it all and not have to deal with everything? I have days where I can only dream of that.
Has motherhood been overwhelming for you? How so and how do you deal?
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Comments (13)
Motherhood is definitely overwhelming. I'm strictly a SAHM (no working from home) and I still get overwhelmed. My son is 7 weeks old and between constantly breastfeeding him, changing him, consoling him, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of a very hyper Labrador, I feel like my head is spinning most days. Add that to running on 5 hours of sleep at night and you have the recipe for exhaustion and insanity!
I'm finally falling in to a routine and things have started to get easier. The newborn stage kicked my butt. Though the demands will change, motherhood will still be overwhelming.
overwhelming? naaahh its a walk in the park! (<-- sarcastic)
I have a 4yr old and a 1yr old.. and a puppy who has k9adhd (he is crazy and almost 1).
I am a SAHM (in the process of adopting, so I get to deal with 3 social workers on top of it all. Woot). How do I get through it? I chose to find joy in the simple things. I know my babes are only goign to be small a short time, and I want to love every moment I have with them. So if the house is not spotless, no one is going to die. If I dont cook amazing uber healthy dinners every night, my kids will not become blimps (yes, we have had mac and cheese, pancakes and sometimes even cereal for supper. Just because), Don't sweat the small stuff, it will just make you cranky and wrinkled.
I am also wonderfully blessed with an incredible husband who gets up with our youngest at night (I am very uncoordinated at night, and he likes his extra time with the baby). He also does laundry, cleans, cooks on the weekends, sends me up for a nap after supper, and makes sure I get at least 1 MommyNight a week.
*side note* we jokingly say that our puppy has k9adhd, like i said he is crazy. He also thinks he is much smaller then he really is.. being a Boxer/Beagle/Shepherd/Lab mix doesn't help! So please don't think its an actual illness.. he is just an overgrown pup**
I'm at the point where I am just so burnt out. My oldest is almost 12, so for nearly 12 years now I have been a SAHM (for the most part). I have 6 kids and while they aren't so overwhelming, I'm just bored. I feel very under-stimulated. Hopefully I pick up a new interesting hobby or something. My youngest is 10 months, so still awhile until they're all off in school and I can get a job or something.
I'm personally at the down feeling :(
I know we'll all get through it.
My baby girl is almost 7 weeks and so far it has just been amazing! I can count on one hand the times i have gotten frustrated or overwhelmed, and that was only when she was crying from bad gas pains in the night and there was not much i could do to console her. I do all the cooking and cleaning and i go back to work next week as long as the Dr lets me. I have two cats, a bird, my beautiful baby girl, and my husband but i love all the craziness i would'nt change it for anything. The only things thats overwhelming at the moment is how fast she is growing!
Overwheming is not the word I would use. Because I have never really felt like that. I have been fustrated, and annoyed. It has had it's ups and downs and we have been through alot together. I guess I have "easy" (according to friends) kids though. I just think it is cause we are a very bonded family.
I am a stay at home mom of three 8,7 and 4. Overwhelmed? Yup.
Recently read an article saying mom's who work part-time are the happiest and mom's who work at all are less susceptible to depression. I am going to school part-time. You would think I'd feel more overwhelmed but I am so much happier with my own personal goals now. Being home with my kids is absolutely what I wanted but I have discovered recently that I am not JUST a mom and housewife... and that's ok.
Ohhhhh yeah. I only have one... and I'm more convinced that it should stay that way, lol. Every stage and age has it's difficulties and it's good stuff. Potty training is where we're at and that's hard, plus trying to get the right discipline techniques and yeah. I couldn't imagine having a job on top of it all, which makes me more thankful I'm a SAHM. :)
I didn't read any teen stories, or, stories about adult children with problems. I have an adult daughter with severe bipolar disorder. Do not get me wrong, I'd die for my children, but people are in a lalalalala moment when they decide to conceive and have babies. It's not all about the cute babies, the grade school children, whether or not you'll be so smart that other mothers will look to you for advice. You can get fooled really easily. I'd say motherhood is not for everyone who thinks it is. Take a look down the road, picture some problems that you think you are too good to get, and then decide to have a brood.
I'm a SAHM of two, an almost 4 yr old and an almost 2yr old. I don't work, so I do everything around the house myself so my husband can relax when he gets home. We also cook everything from scratch, homeschool, home-church. Honestly, I feel that I have it much easier than most other moms who work or have more kids or single moms. But sometimes I get overwhelmed as well. It's mostly because I find myself having to clean and reorganize the same things over and over again. Or the kids have been fighting for a week straight. Or my husband's work schedule has been changed for a third time in two days. It's little things that all add up. But I've found that making sure that I keep up with my own hobbies helps with that "down" feeling sometimes. I just remind myself that it's okay for things to be a little messy (I have slight OCD, things out of place make me crazy), it's okay to have cereal for dinner sometimes, it's okay for them to watch a little tv. (we try not to have the tv on at all during the day) So we've incorporated a Pajama Day once a week, usually when my husband has the day off. We just spend the day in pj's, munching whatever snacks we have on hand, and watch tv/video games all day. It's very relaxing and helps to reset everyone's patience meters. (this is also a separate day from our Sabbath, so it's nice) I don't know about everyone else, but winter time is worse for us. Lack of sunlight, outdoors time, and colds just makes everyone down.
I think it's completely normal to feel these feelings of overwhelm. I certainly feel that a lot. Raising children is a full-time job. There's no holiday break, or vacation days (unless you're lucky to have someone watch them while you get away), or sick days. Parenthood is tough. My husband works, and I'm currently at home with my son while figuring out my work situation, and he doesn't understand fully how tiring staying at home with the baby is. Women who work full-time, or are single mothers... my goodness, I don't know how they do it. Being a new mother is rewarding in so many ways, but trying to maintain balance can sometimes be difficult. I guess you do what you can to get through the day. Life gets busy, but taking time to take care of yourself, and have fun with parenthood is important. :)
@bmillerssailor@xanga - I hear ya. I totally get it. Babies are exhausting! lol! Some things get easier as they grow and develop, but then there's always a new set of challenges.