Are parents just absolutely exhausted all the time?

[Englishrose223]

Might be a stupid question but when I look after my neices (6 and 3) I literally feel like a bus has hit me.

Yes, you get used to it.

Yeah 🤣 so today we’ve been to a wildlife park - great day out but started out getting all the kids ready and picnic etc walking the dog and then off we go after packing the car with all spare clothes etc…. Then after our day out , before we had kids we would have gone for a curry and chilled out. Instead we get home, unload and unpack, kids asking for tea. Entertaining the toddler , walk the dog etc

I feel you can’t just chill out or stitch off ! However I wouldn’t swap it so it’s fine but it is what it is! When the kids go to bed I make sure everything’s done so that’s my time to sit and stare out the window 🤣

Yes, especially if working full time. Dead.

Yes I am. 3 children age 6 and down, work part time, then there’s the house, garden, laundry etc, fairly busy social life. I am honestly exhausted constantly. Happy, but exhausted.
Was wondering if I should get blood tests, maybe something wrong with me? But looks like I’m not alone!

I have found decent vitamins (lamberts brand) have really helped me . That and…. A good to do list. And making sure I do the jobs chores when the kids are awake helps as it fixes me the time after they sleep to chill. But it’s constant even if we’re organised isn’t it ?!! I’d love to have to do absolutely nothing and think just about myself for a weekend!

Yes. Oldest is 7, autistic, hard work. Youngest is nearly 4, we think neurotypical, but also hard work. I work part-time. But am still so so so exhausted. Especially if doing anything extra ie above and beyond the day to day. I just don't have the energy or capacity for it and then frankly feel as if I'm so tired I could die 😭

Yes

Yes. 3yo and 1yo. No sleeping through the night here either, since sometime back in 2020. Exhausting.

Yes. It’s been 9 years of parenting. I could take a nap at any time, any place.

Yes.

My first didn’t sleep until he was almost 2. Literally 20 minutes at a time was all he could do. I was so physically exhausted I ended up with blistered eyeballs. No one ever tells you you’ll be so tired your eyeballs will blister

No, I'm fine but that's because I sleep a lot, and ds's were good sleepers too (although ds2 was horrendous as a baby and nearly broke me!). I often jump into bed early, even now.

The first few years are knackering, yes.

I have a 6 and 2 year old and no, I’m not exhausted all the time. I work from home and they both sleep well so do get a break!

I think my 4yr old is trying to kill me with stress. So yes….yes I am always tired.

Thank you, I’ll have a look at those. I take vitamins but they’re Boots own, so maybe it’s worth getting something better.
It tends to be 9/9.30 by the time the kids have gone to sleep, by which point I’m so knackered I just watch tv in bed, so do manage some chill time at least. They sleep well once asleep too so I often feel like I shouldn't be quite this exhausted.

One weekend just thinking about ourselves would be amazing, but then we’d probably spend it missing them!

Yes and partly why I will only have one child. I simply don’t have it in me to do this twice over.

Yep. I now realise I didn't fully appreciate when I had uninterupted sleep and lie ins! 😂

I went to the GP this week because I feel terrible, always. I wake up and I feel awful, even if I've had an undisturbed night. Sometimes I worry I have early onset dementia. I have zero energy, ever. My eyes feel like sandpaper.

I suspect it's parenting.

5 and 2. I am a shell of a human.

Yes you are exhausted which is a totally different level to being “tired.” Nothing compares - except perhaps SAS training. They break you - the person you were is gone. And then you emerge as a different version of yourself. A parent.

Over a year ago i was babysitting my friends children at the time one was 1 the other was 2.
I only babysat for about 3 hours omg when she got home it was like an angel walked in lol.
Its so hard i told her i had forgot how hard it was i dont think i sat down.
Ive never babysat again.
We are the same age but my god i would not do again.
Mine are adults.

Yeah they’ve really helped me - it was a fellow mum on here that recommended them as I was just so so tried all the time. Thought I needed a doctor - I take multi bit, vit d, iron and omega oils and it’s done amazing - took a few months to build up (maybe 3) and now I can sleep well and do everything required of me in the day without feeling shocking.

lol I know what you mean- when we got away we wonder what the little ones are doing - and I so appreciate how lovely the age is they are and don’t want to wish it away- just wish we have a nanny / housekeeper etc and that would be spot on 🤣

Yes. It's a marathon. An ultra marathon. They're so darn cute though (esp if your own)

Yes. Mine sleeps through at 5 and has for a while, but I find it incredibly mentally draining. It's not so much the lack of sleep (although when you have a newborn it absolutely is), but it's how all-consuming they are.