The Struggles of Being a Mom
It has been said that motherhood is the hardest and most rewarding thing you will ever do. An anonymous quote says, “Motherhood: The only place you can experience heaven and hell at the same time.” There are days you want to pull your hair out and counting the minutes to bedtime; then once your child is peacefully sleeping you look at them and feel an overwhelming sense of love and actually miss them! Those days when you think you could not possibly do another day; you do indeed!
There are some common things that are more frustrating than others. Have no fear! You are not alone!
Mornings are the WORST! Mornings especially are stressful once kids are school age or if you are a working mom. Getting everyone out the door on-time and making sure everyone has all that they need can be the definition of insanity. Kids are running around screaming, you are yelling, no one is listening then you may start crying too. Sound familiar? Take a deep breath mama. Or at least try. One way to try and help ease the pain of morning stress is prepping the night before or getting up before the kids do so you can can some things done in peace.
Tantrums can be mind blowing! Mini tantrums can start early, even before the age of one. For some children they continue to get worse and around the age of three or four it can peak. For families with more than one child this can be extra overwhelming. Especially if it happens in public. I know there have been plenty of moms who have left a full cart in the middle of a store, barely holding onto a toddler or two, sweating, red faced and on the verge of tears. All the while you feel that the entire store is staring at you and whispering. Some of them probably are but trust me, there are more that are thinking, “that poor mama”. Again, you are not alone.
Lack of sleep can leave you feeling un-human! Once you become a mother your sleep will never be the same. Unfortunately sleep deprivation enhances every emotion and makes life feel even more intense. In those moments when you haven’t slept a wink and your child won’t cooperate by sleeping, it can feel so frustrating. To top it off your partner can probably sleep right through it. For many mamas naps are not an option because of other children or work. You are not alone. Reach out. It is ok to feel sad and angry.
You may feel like you have lost YOU! Showering feels like a mountain to climb some days. Doing your hair and putting on make-up? Forget about it. Getting up early and exercising? Too tired. Eating healthy and shedding extra baby weight? No energy. Going to see your favorite musician with friends? The kids freak when you leave. Sound about right? Pick one thing at a time and do it anyway. You will feel better after you do. And guess what? Everyone in your family will survive!
For some mothers this is just the tipping point. Talk about it. Find other mamas that are supportive. Laugh about it; sometimes that is all you can do. Have a good cry; it’ll do the body good. Allow yourself to enjoy self care. Whether it is 20-30 minutes after the kids are in bed or a night out with friends. If you have a partner, share with them what you are feeling. They may be feeling the same way. Find a good routine for your family. Kids thrive with routine; even though it can be tough to stick to!