You love your children, yet you feel like parenting has pushed you to your limit. Previously, you managed to find joy even during the busiest, most hectic days. In between the relentless demands of raising your children, you still held on to those precious milestones and happy moments.
But now, you’re struggling to see the highlights. Instead, you just feel completely drained. Your children need you endlessly, yet it seems like you have nothing else to give them. However, there are no breaks for you.
If you’ve been feeling this way, you’re likely dealing with parental burnout. These are a few common signs of parental burnout that could indicate it’s time to seek help.
Feeling Physically “Touched Out”
Somehow, even hugging your child has begun to feel like a chore. Throughout the day, it feels like little hands are always reaching and grabbing for you. At times, your body doesn’t feel like it belongs to you. You wish that you could have a moment of peace, and you don’t understand what’s wrong.
This is a phenomenon known as being “touched out.” It’s especially prevalent among mothers whose children are still nursing.
Everything Seems Like a Chore
You used to love reading to your children, playing games with them, going to the park, or just hanging out in your backyard. Yes, there’s no denying the fact that parenting is a difficult job. But in the past, these fun moments seemed to make up for all of the challenges that were thrown your way.
When you look back on these memories with your children, you wish you could find that same happiness in the simple moments again. Today, when you engage in those same activities, it all feels like a chore. There’s no relief from the monotony and effort.
Persistent Guilt
You’re doing everything you’re “supposed” to do as a parent. And yet you constantly feel guilty and worry that you’re not doing enough. Even when things are going well, and you know that your children are healthy and happy, you still feel like you’re missing something.
You barely have the energy to get through the motions of the day, yet you somehow feel as though you’re supposed to pile even more on your plate.
Exhaustion and Emotional Numbness
There’s no getting around the reality that parenting is exhausting. But there was a time when you used to feel like you could keep going on even a couple of hours of stolen sleep every night. Now, it doesn’t matter how much sleep you get. When you wake up, you still feel bone-tired.
Sleeping and relaxing does not make you feel refreshed. In fact, nothing really seems to bring you the energy you need. You’re perpetually tired, and it leaves you emotionally numb. You feel like you’re not fully participating in life and can barely pay attention to what’s going on around you because you’re so tired.
Worrying About Incompetence
Suddenly, you feel like you’re incompetent at all sorts of parenting tasks. You look around at other parents and can’t help but compare yourself to them. It seems like everyone else got access to a secret manual containing all of the rules for “successful” parenting, and somehow, you never got a copy.
It’s hard to have confidence in your own parenting skills when you feel like you’re floundering. You second guess yourself constantly, and you rarely feel self-assured in your own parenting decisions anymore. Burnout can sap your self-esteem.
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Are you exhausted by parental burnout? You might benefit from talking to a therapist. Reach out to us to learn more about women’s therapy.