Stephanie All of these elements lead to the perfect cocktail of equal parts stress and guilt. You’re stressed because you feel you are not allowed time for you, but when you try to take some, you feel guilty for putting yourself first. You just can’t win!
Moms are often expected to be self-sacrificing in the face of their family’s needs whether it be societal or personal expectations. If the kids need you, everything else goes out of the window. If your partner needs you, you tend to set things down to support them. It can be overwhelming especially if you’re caught slacking, a lot of harsh judgement can come your way – and often from complete strangers.
But mom-stress is not a ‘natural’ part of being a mother. It’s something that grinds you down, and that’s something that desperately needs to change.
It’s important to remember- No One is Going to Get Hurt From Moms Needing Me-Time!
It might feel like you can’t leave the kids alone for more than 5 minutes, but it really is OK to just sit yourself down and see what happens next.
No one is actually going to mind that you’ve started your night routine a bit earlier than usual. Put on a face mask, put on your favorite tv show or even take some Knockout gummies with Delta 8, Delta 9 & THCP to try and relax before bed. Check with your doctor if you have questions about your health and safety when taking any supplements.
Because no one is actually going to be hurt by you taking some time to do your own thing and see to your own needs. If the kids come looking for you, it’s OK to tell them that you need a bit of quiet time for the next 20 minutes or so.
That might seem like a big ask you’ll never manage to pull off, but it’s all about balance and kids do need to see their parents setting boundaries.
It’s one of the key skills kids need to learn in order to build social skills, emotional management, and self esteem.
When you set boundaries and enforce them, you showcase the ability to put yourself first to the very people you’re trying to raise to be confident and able. And when you do it, they’ll learn how to do it too.
Seek Out a Therapist
If both stress and guilt are getting to a point where you’re miserable, and never quite meeting your own needs, you may need to see someone. It’s not OK for you to suffer in silence and just try to keep the kids happy; you need to be able to feel good as well.
Working with a therapist that has experience with parenting pressures and mom-stress is key. They’re more likely to know where you’re coming from, and have constructive suggestions for coping mechanisms that help you get out of that mom-guilt mindset.
Seeking out a therapist might sound like a last resort, but there’s a chance that’s where you’re at.
Mom-stress shouldn’t be allowed to crush you. You deserve your own time and your own care!
