Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I use to pride myself as being "energetic". I use to never need caffeine, never need to wake up with alarm, always fully rested.
However, ever since becoming a parent, I'm tired 24/7. I have a 2yo toddler and 5mo baby. I understand sure when they grow up it'll get easier since they're more independent, but you still need to constantly interact with them, have conversations, etc etc. So am I stuck being fatigued for next 18 years until they go to college?
You have to find a bit of a routine where 1) you have at least 15min for yourself and 2) eat properly.
It makes a BIG difference. I had my boys back to back and there were days i thought i was going to lose my mind!! But IT DOES get better and it goes FAST, I promise!
When they rest, dont try to be super woman and ALWAYS do chores as they sleep. IF YOU NEED REST, lay down with them even if not to sleep, just give yourself a break. If you arent that sort of tired, i found moderate exercise even if 15min would elevate my mood and energy levels. More importantly, take it day by day ! Enjoy them being this little, its such a beautiful stage.
I use to pride myself as being "energetic". I use to never need caffeine, never need to wake up with alarm, always fully rested.
However, ever since becoming a parent, I'm tired 24/7. I have a 2yo toddler and 5mo baby. I understand sure when they grow up it'll get easier since they're more independent, but you still need to constantly interact with them, have conversations, etc etc. So am I stuck being fatigued for next 18 years until they go to college?
Around the time my kids were 12-13 years old is when I finally was able to RELAX as a parent. By that point they could somewhat fend for themselves, and had been brought up to be responsible for themselves (i.e., clean your room, take a shower, make your lunch, do your laundry, etc.). At that point I was guiding them along, not doing everything for them. It's also around that age that they wanted to interact with me a bit less, which I was fine with (that's another way to teach responsibility).
My kids are now 16 and 17 and a lot of fun to hang out with. I'm proud of who they are becoming, have no worries about their chosen futures at the moment, and get all the sleep I need.
My advice?
Take naps when they take naps. I can't stress that enough. A lot of parents use that time to "get things done," but trust me, sometimes what needs to get done is naptime for Mommy or Daddy.
Raising two children, I dreamed of the day I could actually read a book. The "kids" are grown, my spouse passed away and the silence is deafening. Be careful what you wish for.
Raising two children, I dreamed of the day I could actually read a book. The "kids" are grown, my spouse passed away and the silence is deafening. Be careful what you wish for.
Raising two children, I dreamed of the day I could actually read a book. The "kids" are grown, my spouse passed away and the silence is deafening. Be careful what you wish for.
Around the time my kids were 12-13 years old is when I finally was able to RELAX as a parent. By that point they could somewhat fend for themselves, and had been brought up to be responsible for themselves (i.e., clean your room, take a shower, make your lunch, do your laundry, etc.). At that point I was guiding them along, not doing everything for them. It's also around that age that they wanted to interact with me a bit less, which I was fine with (that's another way to teach responsibility).
My kids are now 16 and 17 and a lot of fun to hang out with. I'm proud of who they are becoming, have no worries about their chosen futures at the moment, and get all the sleep I need.
My advice?
Take naps when they take naps. I can't stress that enough. A lot of parents use that time to "get things done," but trust me, sometimes what needs to get done is naptime for Mommy or Daddy.
My 2 boys were good kids and I didn’t stop being tired till they left for college. Even now stuff happens that I worry about and they are both married. I once heard that a mother is only as happy as her unhappiest child. That’s true for me. ( worry tired me, that’s why I mentioned it)
You are at the absolutely most taxing part of parenthood. You just have to go through it. I hope you can arrange for a bit of help or just swap a little childcare with another parent of little ones. That helped me.
I think by the time my two entered Kindergarten, some of the sheer exhaustion was gone. It was a new kind of tired in the grade school years--constantly something to do or places to go with them. Sleep was possible though. The teen years involved some late nights waiting for them to come home safely, but not too often. Generally by the time they were in college, it was out of sight, out of mind. Even now, though they are both adults, there will be nights when I wake up worrying about them for one thing or another. Most recently was a very restless night or three worrying about a COVID test. It was negative thankfully.
REAL tired is when you are a grandparent doing all that, and you're 60, not 30. I watch my two grandsons (6 1/2 and 3 1/2) all week during the summer, with an extra 2 1/2 months tacked on this year due to the lockdown. Every time I sit down, it's, "Nanny! Nanny! Nanny!" Somebody is always hungry. The little one needs help washing his hands. They are "bored". There's an ant in the kitchen!!!!
I get up at 4:00 a.m. so I have time to do my exercises and jog before they wake up at 6:00. I take care of them all day, then at 5:00 it's time to make sure they have the rooms picked up, fix their supper, clean it up, and supervise baths/toothbrushing/pj's. Son in law gets home from work some time during this, but usually needs to go out again to see a client or go to a meeting (he's got a lot of irons in the fire). DD gets home about 7:30 and puts them to bed (oldest grandson is allowed to read in bed). Then I get to crash.
I'll be going back to work next month (hopefully, if school opens). I'm a school cafeteria cook. Then I can relax in the afternoons. DD will take the little one with her to work (she's self employed). Oldest, we don't know yet...it looks like they'll be remote schooling at the start of the year. Then DD will have BOTH kids with her all day!!!!!
I babysit my 3 grand kids, I’m 60 too! One one is 4, the middle is two and the baby just turned 5 months, the two year old just got potty trained and hear grand mommy all the time, but at least for me they go home with their parents. You deserve a reward
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
