No one told me how hard being a mom is. I was warned of the sleepless nights and how fast they would grow up, but no one said anything about being unhappy. Was something wrong with me? I could see their smiles and moments when I was supposed to be amused, but I felt like I was drowning. Their footsteps running to me felt like the annoying sound of an alarm clock, being bathed in cries and need. When did I get here?
I’m not proud to say I am an unhappy Mom. This subject is rarely even talked about, unaccepted. Society likes to label this as depression. But I like to label this as normal. I am not a medical doctor, or psychologist, so I am in no authority to say what defines normal vs. depression. I do know being a mom involves a lot of sacrifice. When our kids need us, we’re there. When they get hurt or sick, we’re there. I’m happy to be needed, but a lot of times ‘my tank’ is on empty.
By the time I get to ‘me time’ my energy is depleted. I can’t enjoy the things I used to because I have a new job, being a mom. Of course I am going to get sad that I can’t spend the whole day diving into a romance novel, or going out without worrying how to get from point A to point B with a toddler. It’s okay to be unhappy sometimes, but there should be a warning flag if it’s all the time. That’s a pop up for ‘You need time for YOU!’
5 signs that say ‘You need YOU time!’
- When you get easily frustrated or irritated
- When your kids start to overwhelm you
- When all you feel like doing is crying
- If you feel sad, but don’t know why
- If you feel you need to escape
If you have any of these signs, schedule some time to yourself. It doesn’t have to be a whole day. 30 minutes or an hour will do wonders to your mom mood.
Be the better mom version by taking time for YOU.
