It’s 5 p.m., and I’m deep in survival mode. The kids are glued to Moana, and I’m tossing snacks at them like they’re little zoo animals on a wild day. Just ten minutes into the movie, it looks like they might actually make it to the end without turning into mini tornadoes. Fingers crossed!
I shuffle to the kitchen to whip up some popcorn. Yes, this is going to be my dinner, and honestly, I couldn’t care less about it. As I plop down on the couch with my snack-dinner, I check my phone to see if my partner has touched base yet. Seriously? It’s only 5:06?
I let out a sigh. How is it not bedtime yet? Why do I feel so drained already? Where’s their dad when I need him?
I glance over at my kids, happily munching on cheese puffs, while I survey the disaster zone that was once our living room. Toys are strewn all over, and cracker crumbs are blending into the carpet like they’re part of some abstract art installation. In this chaotic moment, it hits me: I’m exhausted, but what have I really accomplished today?
The room was spotless just twenty minutes ago, and now it looks like a battlefield. The kids were all fresh and clean this morning, and now they smell like a cheesy petting zoo. I stocked the fridge only a few days ago, but now we’re down to the wire on yogurt, formula, and diapers. The grocery list has grown long enough to justify a trip tomorrow morning—oh wait! I almost forgot about the baby’s doctor appointment at 9 a.m. If I was undecided about bath time, I’m definitely not now. No one needs a visit from social services due to a stinky baby.
Now I’m down on all fours, cleaning up the Ritz Cracker massacre from the floor and pondering whether hiring a personal assistant is the answer to my struggles. But what would that job ad even look like? Help Wanted: I’m not sure what I do all day, but I’m completely wiped!
My partner arrives home, and we instantly switch into Tag-Team Bedtime Mode. An hour later, both kids are tucked in with clean behinds, and we collapse onto the couch for a moment of respite.
“How was your day?” I ask.
“Good,” he replies, flipping through channels. I’m mulling over how to answer when a dirty diaper catches my eye—sitting right on the TV stand. Gross! I leap up to toss it in the trash and suddenly remember, “Did I add diapers to the grocery list?”
And that’s when it dawns on me: This is the root of my exhaustion. The work I do feels like a never-ending cycle of clean and dirty. I scrub a floor, and it’s filthy again in no time. I change a diaper, and an hour later, it’s stinky again. I fill the pantry, only to have it look like a swarm of locusts has hit by the end of the week. I’m stuck on this hamster wheel that keeps spinning, and that’s just the visible stuff.
What truly drains me is the invisible load of managing our household. My mom brain is like a control center juggling grocery lists, doctor appointments, work schedules, and vacation requests. Making a simple sandwich isn’t just that; it’s also realizing we’re out of peanut butter, the bread is on its last legs, and I need to use up the milk before it spoils.
The mental load of running a home is exhausting, but it’s only half of what parenting entails. That’s why many of us find ourselves on the couch at the end of the day, surrounded by a landscape of crumbs and forgotten diapers, wondering, “Why am I so tired?”
Here’s the answer: We’re tired because we’re incredibly busy. We’re engaged in the very real work of managing a household and raising kids. Some days that looks like wiping down a high chair or switching laundry. Other days, it’s invisible—like keeping track of the grocery list in our heads or reminding ourselves to ask the pediatrician how to get our baby to eat more veggies.
You might not have a tangible outcome to show for your efforts, but that doesn’t diminish the reality of your hard work. Trust me, you’ve put in the effort, even if there are toys sprawled across the floor yet again.
For more insights into parenting and home management, check out this post on home insemination kits or visit Healthline for excellent resources on pregnancy.
Summary:
The daily grind of parenting can leave us feeling exhausted without any visible accomplishments. From managing household chores to keeping track of schedules, much of our work remains invisible. Despite the chaos, the effort we put in is significant and should be recognized.