To the Overwhelmed Mom – When It All Just Feels Like Too Much

 

Life can get overwhelming sometimes. It often feels like there’s a million things to keep up with and stay on top of. Especially as a mom. And on top of all of the tasks and things to remember in mom life, it gets loud and messy a lot. Does the cleaning ever end? We operate on little sleep. We often have little people asking for things all day long. And there’s a ton of patience and energy required every single day.

Just listing all of those things made me tired.

It can feel like a lot. Because it is A LOT.

And that’s exactly why motherhood has been kicking my butt lately.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling especially worn out and overwhelmed as a mom. I’ve also felt overstimulated, exhausted, easily frustrated, and frankly, burnt out.

I felt like I was drowning in clutter. The house always felt a mess. From the toys spread all across the living room and in random corners all over the house, to the crumbs and pieces of snacks and food constantly being dropped on the floor.

I felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything I needed done, but also like there weren’t enough quiet moments in my day just for my own peace of mind. How are little kids so loud?

There were, and still are, so many constant requests from the kitchen, and so much constant need for my energy and attention.

And then there’s dealing with the boy mom struggle of always finding pee on the bathroom floor. If you’re a boy mom, I’m sure you feel my pain.

I’ve been having the kind of days that make me say to myself “there’s no way I can make it through another day like this.”

Which then made me start doubting myself as a mom.  I started questioning whether or not I was even doing a good job because it all just felt too hard. I started thinking about how much I was struggling just to get through the day. Struggling to keep it together. To keep my house clean. To balance it all.

It was only a few days ago that I took the time to really sit with myself and my feelings, and encourage myself through this current season of my life. I had to remind myself of a few things. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed as a mom, or anything like I have been lately, I’d like to remind you of a few things also.

 

Our Feelings Are Normal

Moms everywhere have either been where we are, or are currently experiencing the same things we are. And as a mom, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and exhausted sometimes. It’s even normal to want to hide out for a few hours to get a break from your kids.

Meeting their needs around the clock, being there for them emotionally and physically, being their problem solvers, their homework helpers, and everything in between, is tiring.

Being exhausted, needing a break, feeling burnt out from constantly giving of ourselves. It’s all normal. And it doesn’t make us love our kids any less or make us bad moms. It only makes us human.

 

Related Posts:

7 Reminders for the Mom Who’s Feeling Like She Isn’t Good Enough

Being a Mom is Exhausting, But We’re Doing It!

8 Ways to Start Enjoying Motherhood and Feel Like a Better Mom

 

Our Feelings are Temporary

Some days I feel like I’m killing it as a mom. Other days I feel like I’m barely surviving.

But that’s just the thing; feelings are fleeting in motherhood. We can go from feeling like we’re completely over this mom gig and fed up with everyone in our house, to feeling so overwhelmed with love by our little families that we couldn’t imagine life without them.

And that can serve as a reminder that no matter how challenged or overwhelmed you may feel as a mom sometimes, you won’t always feel that way. Because it doesn’t always feel that way.

 

Those Feelings Don’t Capture How Well We’re Actually Doing

I’m constantly questioning whether or not I’m doing a good job as a mom, even when I know how hard I try to be a good one.

But the other day, I was driving in the car with my son and he says “ mommy you’re the best mommy in the whole world. Do you know why? Because you take care of us. You’re silly and you make us laugh. You play with us. You make us food. And that’s why.”

This touched me so much because a lot of the time it can feel like the things we do on a daily basis go unnoticed. So for my 5 year old to tell me this, meant so much to me.

Even when I find myself questioning whether or not I’m doing enough, or doing things right, or raising them well, my son just sees a mommy who loves him, takes care of him and makes him laugh. And that’s enough. That’s enough for him to see me as the best mommy in the world.

So even when you’re feeling like you’re not doing enough or questioning whether you’re enough, know that your kids think you are. You are enough and you are the best mom for your kids.

 

Being a Mom is Precious

This probably sounds a little corny, but it’s true. Those sweet precious moments that make it all worthwhile, show up from time to time. Like watching your kids happily play together. Or witnessing them being kind to someone else.

And then there’s the everyday moments. Everyone cozied up on the couch together. Dance parties in the living room. Your kids laughing hysterically at something you said. Hugs filled with love. Your baby falling asleep with his head resting on your shoulder. Simple moments like these are so precious.

But when you’re going through it, and stressed out by it all, it can feel like those moments don’t even exist. But they do. We just have to pay closer attention.

 

We Don’t Have to Do it All

I’m so guilty of feeling like it’s my job to do everything. And not just do it, but do it perfectly. To keep the house spotless, to keep up with all the school activities, appointments, to-do lists, errands, shopping. You name it. But that’s way too high of an expectation to put on myself.

We all need help every now and then. And it’s okay to ask for help. That doesn’t make you any less of a mom.

And it’s also okay to choose yourself over your to-do lists. If you don’t have the energy to clean today, that’s okay. If the laundry or the shopping need to wait because you’re exhausted and need some rest, there’s always tomorrow. We don’t have to do it all, and we also don’t have to do it all today.

 

Sometimes It Just Takes the Right Perspective 

I’ve gotten to a place where I’m realizing that as moms, we just have to take each season for what it is. Boys miss the toilet, A LOT. Kids need snacks and food OFTEN. Kids also move at a SLOWER pace than adults do. They are somehow WIRED to be loud. They don’t yet know how to process the big emotions that they feel. Sometimes we don’t even know how to do that as adults.

If we keep things like this in mind as we’re going about our day, we’re more likely to be able to go with the flow of things instead of getting frustrated. And the more we leave room for the expected, lower some of our expectations, and just accept that some things just come with being a mom with children at certain stages in their lives, the easier it will be to navigate.

 

If you’ve been feeling tired, overwhelmed, or burnt out, I see you mom. And as a fellow overwhelmed mom, I know how hard it is and I know exactly how you feel.

Being a mom is definitely no walk in the park. But I hope you’ve been reminded here that not only are you not alone, but your kids see all the love you show them every day. And in spite of your constant need for coffee, or the days where you question every single thing you’re doing or not doing with your kids, all they see when they see you is the best mommy in the whole world. And doesn’t that make it all worth it?

 

Need a little extra encouragement?