There are days I just don’t want to mom. That doesn’t mean I’m not a good mama. It doesn’t mean I will feel this way tomorrow, or even this afternoon. It doesn’t mean I’m not grateful for my family and my life. Some days it simply feels oppressive to be so needed.
It’s okay if you feel this way sometimes, too. Do you know that? Has anyone ever told you that the days when you feel trapped are the days you most deserve your compassion rather than your judgment? Did you know that every parent has probably felt this way at some point, even if they don’t talk about it?
Sometimes all you can do is acknowledge a hard feeling, name it, and accept it.
I can’t tell you what to do on days like this. I have some ideas you can read here, but all of those suggestions might fall flat. Sometimes all you can do is acknowledge a hard feeling, name it, and accept it. You can even bow to it.
Today I chose a walk in the woods with my boy, knowing it might be nothing more than a slight reprieve from my feelings of burnout. Nature and the change of scenery managed, as they so often do, to create space in my heart for other emotions: joy and wonder and gratitude.
I know this day won’t last. It never does. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’ll accept what it brings. In the meantime, I’ll extend myself grace. I’ll keep moving forward, and I’ll do my best, even if it’s not very good. And when today is over I’ll go to bed knowing that someday I’ll miss this.
Megan Stonelake is a therapist and parent coach who teaches parents all over the world how to become more peaceful. She has written extensively on peaceful parenting for Parent.co, Hey Sigmund, and The Huffington Post among others. You can follow her blog or schedule a session at her website. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
