As a parent, I know that our offspring can demand a lot from us, which is not a slam against our children. As little human beings, they have wants and needs just like their adult counterparts. However, they don’t often understand the differences between want and need (the same argument can be made for adults as well.)
However, parents are burning out more and more, and there are many reasons that are causing parental burnout:
- Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. Children don’t understand boundaries (nor do some adults) so they will continually ask parents for things constantly
- Whining (one of my favs) At some point, children related whining with winning, aka getting what they want.
- Bedtime routine of having no routine. Kids fight bedtime as if it’s the Great War. Parents just want some down time, and children sometimes put up the best fights/meltdowns/etc.
- Zero energy. Parents use a LOT of energy raising children. This energy without balance and boundaries will drain the motivation and energy to perform other tasks (household chores, relaxing with their partner, going out, etc.)
How can parents recover from burnout, and prevent it rom happening in the first place:
- Rest. As a parent, you are taking care and raising your children, working, taking care of your home, and the 10,000 other things you do. Restful sleep is crucial for you to maintain a harmony in your life.
- Negotiations. Children are learning at a rapid pace. The sooner you teach them negotiations and win-win scenarios, the better you will be. Risk/reward and other parental techniques come in handy when raising your children.
- Simplify. If your home is in a constant state of clutter and disarray, due to you spending time tending to your children’s needs, it’s a good time to purge/donate the things you don’t truly need (this includes toys for the children.)
- Schedule date days/nights with yourself and/or loved one. You shouldn’t be hitting the pause button on your life, to raise children.