AIBU To think motherhood is a pita, more often than not.

[mooncupflowethover]

I should be more grateful shouldn't I? Obviously I am grateful for 2 healthy boys, and there are moments of happiness. In the main though it's a bloody drudge and my stress levels are extraordinarily high.

Ah, there's the youngest shrieking now, bang on cue..sigh.

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Aye it is.

Wouldn't change it for all the tea in china

You will feel better after a glass of wine.

I can understand ... Sounds like maybe they're little ... and close together in age? I remember feeling (at times) as though it was endless and although I loved it when things went well, found it so much harder when they didn't.

Much happier when I went back to work even though for a short time per week.

Now that mine are at school I can see why I felt like I did and also how short that really tough bit is. Now expecting No. 3 and really looking forward to it.

If you feel like this ALL the time, then you might consider talking it through with someone, if it's a coming and going feeling then I think it's quite normal.

Ahhhh that'll be it deaddei, it's my pre (late) lunch glass of vino that's made me say I wouldn't change it...I was wondering

It gets a lot easier. How old are they? Just getting regular full nights' sleep works wonders re feeling you can cope with things/stress levels.

I love my children with all my heart but yes I agree. I do not particularly enjoy the mothering aspect a lot of the time. I am however hugely grateful for them as you say.

Think about it though - if an adult treated you the way your children do you wouldnt particularly enjoy it either would you. I have three aged four and under and it is a hard slog - one tiny newborn, one stroppy two year old and a four year old who has just developed a wonderful attitude . I don't particularly enjoy reading the same story 27 times in a row, being woken up every couple of hours or being asked why, why, why, why, why over and over.

I am hoping the happy moments increase - or actually just neutral ones where no one is crying or demanding anything

Wouldn't be without them though but I wish they would just all simultaneously enjoy something in some Walton esque fashion

YANBU. but i still find time to Mumsnet, so it can't be all bad...

bugger..never put the washing out...

and i have a cake to decorate.

and I am going to spending the afternoon alternately BF and potty training

i will finish today stained with wee, food colouring, breastmilk and chocolate buttons.

hopefully, i'll get to add wine to that list....

Yanbu, although I often feel guilty for thinking it.

My friend has a DS the same age as my DD (they are three) and they both start pre-school in a couple of week.

My friend: "oh I can't believe DS is going to nursery, I'm dreading it, he's growing up sooo fast!
Me: I can't bloody wait!

I'm also pregnant and I'm excited to be doing it all again but there are some days when I think, "why am I doing it again?!"

yanbu.

I want to pop to town and my 2 are both asleep so I have to hang on for a bit then haul them into town with me.

I do love them but everything takes 10x longer with more mess and tantrums.

Oh yes Meglet, there's no "popping" anywhere! It takes me an hour just to get to the Co-op around the corner with DD. She walks sooo slooow!

Aww, I love her so much really. She's my world and wouldn't change her!

Mine are 13 and 11 and still fight like cat and dog- but they are out this afternoon, and it is wonderful.
And I will be full of love for them once more when they return.

yanbu - not sure of your circumstances, but if you are not working, have you considered returning to work even part time? that made all the difference for me.

I'll be happy the day we can leave the house without me having to shout "PUT YOUR SHOES ON!" a zillion times... I know that they can do it, they just choose not to!

oh god yes, i agree.
80% of the time is stress, drudge, mess, noise, arguments, putting self needs completely to the bottom of the list....i could go on and on.

But then 20% of the time, i could not find anything else in life that gives me that all consuming completely overwhelming feeling of raw and utter, utter love and pride that i have for creating something so amazing and beautiful and wonderful and funny and entertaining and clever.

I have had days when i have wanted to just get into my car and drive away from it all, desperate for dh to come home from work and take over from me, i have had days when i have just said to myself, i cant do this any more, i jsut cant.

But then i have had 5 mcs.

i cant believe my luck at having my child. He should not be here, so then its a stern talking to myself to shut the fuck up moaning...(but i still do secretly to you lot, becuase it is hard and only another mum could understand that)

My two are 3 and 16months. Haggard and trapped is quite accurate for me too! I'm a SAHM and quite often wish I worked, flexible jobs are hard to come by though, and DH makes just enough to keep us afloat.

They're both very full on, and I don't mind admitting the best part of the day is when they're in bed (when I'm usually found staring at them, checking they're all right). Why do they suddenly transform into the sweetest creatures you've ever seen when they're asleep?

How is it that each day lasts an eternity, each second just creeps by..yet a week goes past in the blink of an eye?

A wee dram of whisky may be in order later.

When DD is asleep at night I love to watch her. She looks like an angel. It makes me want to pick her up and just cuddle her and cuddle her. But I don't because then she would wake up.

that is why alcohol was invented

If I wasn't too tired to think about it, the answer would be YANBU.

Young children are the hardest - under five-ish. It's drudgery a lot of the time.