To feel like this as a mum

[giraffes2021]

Is this just me or do other mums feel like this as well.

Two children 4 & 2 work 3 days a week great partner who does his fair share, I just feel like I'm so easily stressed or overwhelmed.
The days I have the kids when I'm off I find my patience is thin at times, I feel like I can never get anything done and if I'm doing housework etc I feel guilty I'm not spending time with the kids. I get out with friends and try go gym one night a week but then I just feel even more tired as my youngest never ever sleeps through the night. I do get up every night and my partner gets up in the morning so I'm wondering if broken sleep is making me feel like this!
I was doing bed time tonight with my youngest took about an hour to get him down and I just felt really overwhelmed like I can't do this anymore!!!

Tiredness does things to you, honestly. Is there a way you can have a couple of lie ins to catch up on sleep? Usually that makes all the difference.

Yes I few like this. Mine are 3 and 6 and I work 3 days also. I feel like I’m on a hamster wheel all the time. I get so anxious, stressed and overwhelmed with life. I feel like I’m weird for feeling this way?! My dh is so laid back about things he just doesn’t get it at all. maybe it’s having young children?

You're definitely not alone. Just do whatever you can to make yourself feel better now. I found it extremely hard around those ages and I'm not going to lie, a bit longer too. But it does improve. So anything you look at doing now to help also isn't going to be required indefinitely.

It's really hard! And fatigue - it's actually exhaustion - is a form of torture. So if it means putting the kids in front of Peppa Pig for an extra half hour while you doze on the sofa, do it! Could be anything (legal 😉), point is do what works for you and don't feel guilty about it.

Oh and nothing needs to be perfect either.

And being a good mum/parent is about the average, not every minute being perfect.

Definitely not a time to have unnecessary added stress!

@daretodenim this line just made me cry!!

being a good mum/parent is about the average, not every minute being perfect.

This is so true I feel like I'm constantly worried about too much screen time do we get out enough am I playing with them enough are they eating the right foods feel guilty either way! Then I feel bad for feeling like this when I've two healthy children and a good home etc.
thank you for your reply

@Giraffesandbottoms at the weekend my partner will get up with the kids and let me sleep in till about 8 but still feel exhausted think I'm trying to do too much and need to learn how to say no to people as well

Yes I feel like this nearly all the time , I think I set my expectations of what I can/should do way too high , every morning when I wake up I feel like I have a mountain to climb and the normal mundane tasks of everyday life are just suffocating me and it all feels like it's too much, I think it must just be from not having the time to stop constantly thinking and rest, there is always another job to do,another child's request to see to, another dinner to cook and then when you should be sleeping another disruption to that, so I don't have any advice unfortunately but yes I completely understand how you feel .

You need at least one weekend “off”. Tell your partner you need a break - there’s no shame in that at all. Get him to take the children out and just sleep/rest and have a bath/potter about.

ps I think part of being a good mother is doing all the chores; don’t feel bad about that! Sounds like you’re doing a great job and you’re just shattered. Mine are the same age almost and terrible sleepers / I understand.