Burnout is Real

I am going to be really honest here. I am stressed. The past month and half at my house has been crazy busy. My kids have returned to school which means adjusting to a new schedule and the return of homework. The start of school also means I am back at work. My husband, who travels for work, has been gone a lot. The fall sports schedule is underway. All this combines to lead to one stressed and overwhelmed mama. 

The thing is I know I am not alone. Parents of kids of all ages feel stressed and overwhelmed. They also don't feel supported. Motherly found in their 2019 State of Motherhood Survey that "51% of moms feel discouraged when it comes to managing the stress of work and motherhood. About one-third of moms said that their mental and physical health is suffering. And 85% of moms said that our society does not do a good job of supporting mothers." 

All I can think is...Eighty-five percent! There is something wrong when 85% of mothers don't feel supported by our society. And I know it is isn't just moms. Dads feel overwhelmed and stressed too. 

So what can we do about this? First, we as parents need to reach out for support. One great place to find this for parents of young children is Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE). ECFE is a parent education program but just as important is the support and connection that we help facilitate between parents. Come join us for a class!

Let's also strive to create a supportive community to surround all parents. When you see a parent of a toddler in the throws of a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store aisle, give that parent a smile. Let them know you have been there. Tell them they've got this. Do you know a parent of a new baby? Maybe make an double batch of dinner and bring the extra over to share. Volunteer to come over and watch your friend's kid so they can take an uninterrupted nap.

Also, let's get real on social media. We need to stop comparing our lives and/or kids to what other people are posting. Recognize that the perfect family picture that someone posts probably took at least a dozen not so perfect attempts. More than like at least one kid cried and one parent yelled! Maybe we can take it a step further. Maybe we could post one or two pictures or stories where we show what real life is like!

And if you are like me, feeling stressed and overwhelmed by trying to balance all of it, don't be afraid to ask for help. I know this is hard but we have to be willing to be vulnerable. We have to be willing to say we aren't perfect and we don't have it all together. If we take this step, and maybe even ask for help, other parents maybe inspired to do the same.