Parent to parent: How to combat parental burnout and feel rejuvenated
HOUSTON - Parents seem to have passed their breaking points during the pandemic and feel just burned out. You’re not alone. The term is ‘mom burnout.’
Adjectives that describe being a parent include joyful, proud, exciting – oh, and extremely tired.
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In fact, it prompted Kate Auletta, a writer for Huffington Post, recently wrote an article about it called ‘I’m so F**king tired.’
"I woke up one day in the middle of the night during Labor Day weekend, and I just couldn’t go back to sleep," said Auletta. "I just kept thinking of how exhausted I was and how I wanted to go back to sleep but my head was just reeling with things."
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Auletta lists why a parent would be tired, saying it’s not complaining, but more therapeutic really. As a parent as well, it is something I could relate to and so many others, which is really a way to cope.
"There is so much commiseration and you got this kind of 'this is horrible,' but we can do this kind of sentiment out there and it just made me feel really good. I am still exhausted but it made me feel less alone," she said. "Part of my anger and part of my frustration, and I think that goes for a lot of people, is that we are doing a lot of this on our own."
"There is no universal masking mandate in schools," Auletta continued. "There is no mandate ties on what we should be doing even on the local level. What one parent thinks is ok, is not ok with another parent."
That kind of uncertainty has been really difficult, but know that you are not alone.
Other ways to combat burnout according to mom.com include:
- redefine the meaning of ‘done’
- know that you give whatever task it is 100% for the time you set aside for it.
- Get out of the house, even if it’s 20 minutes outside on a walk.
"Have some patience, I know it’s hard, but have some patience and a little bit of faith that tomorrow will be better hopefully," said Auletta. "Just give yourself some grace."