The dishwasher is full, the sink is loaded with dirty dishes, the options for dinner are limited tonight, because you forgot to make a grocery run. The kids want different meals and so we've settled for pasta. The dogs are now barking, because the tutor just showed up. "Mommy I pooped yells your toddler". You answer the door while holding the dog back from running out, the pasta water is boiling over, you notice your toddler is now running around diaper-less (F*** you think).
This is burnout!
Emotional exhaustion is real.
Burnout in motherhood is real for all mom’s, whether you stay home with your children, work outside of the home, or a combination of both. Although, being a parent doesn't guarantee you'll feel burnout, no one is immune to it.
Of course the pressure for moms today to be "instagram perfect" exists. We often feel we have to look right, provide our children with the most Pinterest worthy activities, serve only the healthiest (and prettiest) meals, and maybe even parent a certain way. Trying to do motherhood perfectly is exhausting. However, for most moms survival is at forefront. They aren't even thinking about sensory bins, they are thinking about dinner, bedtime, getting places on time, the other stuff, the Pinterest things, that all lives within their guilt bubble, only adding to the "emotional exhaustion" piece of burnout.
Though the outside pressure may be strong, the pressure that comes from within ourselves can be stronger.
We just want to take care of our babies in the best possible way, right? We constantly strive to make sure they are getting the right amount of sleep, eating the right foods, engaging in the most developmentally appropriate activities. The load is heavy and the list is long. It’s easy to feel that we aren’t doing enough, that we don’t measure up.
Admitting you’re tired, emotionally and/or physically doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you’re doing this whole motherhood thing wrong. It means you care.
Moms are always willing to put their own needs aside to meet those of your children. While that’s necessary at times and a natural to feel, it's important to check inward. The reality is it's freaking hard to do it all. That blurb on the top part of the blog post is most moms reality, not the Pinteresty perfect version. Pinterest is there to inspire and so is social media. But, it's also there to connect. Trying connecting with social posts that align with who you are and the season in motherhood you relate to.
And don't forget to take some time for yourself, even for just five minutes. Drink that cup of coffee on the porch, take a drive, sit in the sun for 5 minutes a day. Find a healthy way to take care of you and do it because you matter too.
Download my Burnout Freebie if you haven't done so yet. See you on social!
Comments