Stay at Home Moms
Choosing to be a stay-at-home mom is a life-changing decision that can be both exciting and scary. Whether you are drawn to this experience for part of your children's lives or as a whole, there are unique benefits and challenges experienced by parents whose full-time job is caretaker of the household and family.
As a stay-at-home mom, you have the unique opportunity to spend more quality time with your children, avoid the high cost of childcare, have flexibility and control over your schedule, and provide personalized care for children, especially those with special needs. However, the job of being a stay-at-home mom can also be demanding and lonely. Managing stress as a mom is important for your mental health and the health of your family.
In addition to the general life stressors that we all experince, stay-at-home moms report unique challenges, such as the expectation for long working hours, a lesser amount of power or respect for their role, and the perception that they have more time, less stress, and an "easier" role than household members who work outside of the home.
As a stay-at-home mom, you have the unique opportunity to spend more quality time with your children, avoid the high cost of childcare, have flexibility and control over your schedule, and provide personalized care for children, especially those with special needs. However, the job of being a stay-at-home mom can also be demanding and lonely. Managing stress as a mom is important for your mental health and the health of your family.
In addition to the general life stressors that we all experince, stay-at-home moms report unique challenges, such as the expectation for long working hours, a lesser amount of power or respect for their role, and the perception that they have more time, less stress, and an "easier" role than household members who work outside of the home.
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Stay-at-home-mom burnout is a state of chronic stress and exhaustion that is unique to stay-at-home moms. Stay-at-home moms often experience the pressure of tending to everyone and everything, often forsaking personal needs. This may be especially difficult when combined with:
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Stay-at-home mom burnout can be more difficult to spot because many stay-at-home moms believe they should not be stressed, parenting should be easy, or that they are not allowed to complain because they have chosen this role for themselves. In addition, many stay-at-home moms are isolated or spending most of their day with young children. There’s a misconception that being a stay-at-home mom is easy, but it’s not, and the invisibility of stay-at-home mom burnout can lead to moms feeling invalidated by others and themselves.
Symptoms may include insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, self-doubt, irritability, feeling lonely, feeling overwhelmed, finding no time for yourself, feeling unappreciated, loss of enjoyment in parenting, guilt, and even substance abuse or escape ideations.
Symptoms may include insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, self-doubt, irritability, feeling lonely, feeling overwhelmed, finding no time for yourself, feeling unappreciated, loss of enjoyment in parenting, guilt, and even substance abuse or escape ideations.
How private sessions with a professional therapist can help
Therapists can offer essential support, helping moms communicate their feelings and find moments of calm amidst chaos. Developing new coping skills, such as accteptance and commitment techniques, mindfulness and journaling can be beneficial.
A therapist can also help you to uncover what the root causes of your burnout might be. Some traps that may trigger stay-at-home mom burnout include high expectations or judgment from self or others, giving up personal interests, toxic relationship patterns, or the temptation to compare oneself to other parents or individuals who appear to be “living the dream.”
Working with a therapist is an effective route toward lasting mental health improvements through the exploration and discovery of what helps you to self-connect and feel happier.
A therapist can also help you to uncover what the root causes of your burnout might be. Some traps that may trigger stay-at-home mom burnout include high expectations or judgment from self or others, giving up personal interests, toxic relationship patterns, or the temptation to compare oneself to other parents or individuals who appear to be “living the dream.”
Working with a therapist is an effective route toward lasting mental health improvements through the exploration and discovery of what helps you to self-connect and feel happier.
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