Are you overwhelmed literally all the time? I know you can relate to this statement: being a mom is overwhelming. Working or stay-at-home, part-time or full-time, volunteer or room mom, it’s all a lot of work.
But guess what? It’s okay to be overwhelmed. I know it can be a very stressful and at times seem insurmountable. But it’s all normal and you will get through it. I often tell my husband, I totally understand why you hear stories of women from the 70’s and 80’s just one day disappearing from their families. They didn’t have one tenth of the resources we have today.
Today’s families also share more of the responsibilities with each other. Husbands and wives are co-parenting more than just the mother doing all the work. Grandparents are more involved. Childcare, well, is still expensive but it’s more readily available and you have more options thanks to things like Facebook and playgroups found through Meetup.com.
So many new parents think they have to do it all. I know because I was there not that long ago. You read articles that say, “sleep while the baby sleeps.” I would love to know who wrote this statement because 75% of the time, it’s just not possible. Not sleeping simply leads to feeling overwhelmed.
As children get older, it doesn’t get any easier. There are activities, playgroups, trying to juggle work and family time, trying to get the house clean [notice how I didn’t say “keep” the house cleanJ], trying to exercise, making time for your own friends, the list goes on and on. So, please, don’t feel like you are alone in the overwhelmed club because you aren’t. I had a friend post a major vent on Facebook the other day and you know what, she got an outpouring of support. Share. I know you might be uncomfortable at first, but it will help – tremendously.
Maybe we should start a group for overwhelmed people? Oh wait. That would just mean we’d have another thing to do.
“Dream small dreams. If you make them too big, you get overwhelmed and you don’t do anything. If you make small goals and accomplish them, it gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals.” – John H. Johnson