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.

I was talking to my dad the other day and said how I was dreading the holidays due to expense/entertaining. He laughed and said we just played out all day on the holidays. And it's true from about the age of four onwards I would watch morning tv . Go out to play around 10, come in at 4 watch more kids tv, have tea and go bed. My dad worked all day, my mum cleaned the house and had cups of tea with her friends and we played out.
Exactly same on weekends.

Having children didn't overly impact on my parents lives, they worked, socialised, relaxed. We basically were expected to entertain ourselves.

I don't think my parents were at all exhausted by having children.

As someone said - coffee and sugar keep me going. Although sure they add to low level anxiety too (4yrs and 1.5!)

Pretty much but the last 6 months I’ve noticed I’m less tired. Youngest is 5 and becoming more independent.

Yep. I have a 3yo DS and I’m 2 weeks off giving birth to my DD. Exhausted doesn’t cover it.

Same, we only have 1 and I am not usually tired. But I think DH finds it a lot harder than I do. We also both have pretty relaxed jobs so have plenty of time to decompress etc and don't have significant money stresses. I think if we had real full time jobs and commutes, the exhaustion would increase because the child time/duties would remain the same, so all of the other stuff we do to recharge would be what disappeared.

Same here i was brought up by the tv. I think they were still exhausted from getting food on the table though.

These days screen time isn't seen as ok, and there's more interaction with parents which makes the job pretty tough

Mine are 29 and 27 and I’m still knackered

This is 100% true. The mental exhaustion is the killer for me at the moment, I have an energetic 21 month old. Enough said😅

Mine is 16 so no. But yes, 6 and 3 year olds don't sit still!

More or less, yes. However I find that it does get easier as they get older and become less demanding (slightly).

Yes, pretty much. My dc are 10 and 12 so it’s more the mental load.

Yes I love it but it's tiring. My toddler wakes in the night and my 5 year old starts the day before 6am every day and I have zero family nearby to help. It truly is 24/7.

Yes then they become adults and you forget, one day you have your seven year old DN for a sleepover and unfortunately she vomits a lot and you remember how utterly fucking exhausting it is, when they are gone you climb in to bed with a cup of tea and wonder how you made it through those years 🤣

Single mum to a toddler and yes - permanently, thoroughly exhausted.

Yes, we have three of about to turn five and under. It has been very nearly six years since I didn't feel absolutely knackered.

Yep, I’ve been up since 5am. I would have gone to bed early but I needed picking up from the stn at 6pm and our toddler fell asleep in the car on the way to get me. We decided to carry him to bed (about 1.5 hrs earlier than normal but he would have gone totally mental if we’d tried to get him up) so he woke up at 11pm and wouldn’t go bk to sleep for an hr). Then the baby (7 mths) woke up at 5am. Last week I had to get up at 4am because the toddler woke the baby up and I was on my own that night, and I couldn’t get 2 children bk to sleep at the same time so we all got up. It was fucking shit.

It’s a constant, constant grind. It doesn’t stop. You rarely get a moment to yourself. It’s exhausting.

Omg yes to this. I end each day feeling as though I’ve been in a fight 😅

Rarely for me but i only have 1 child

Yep.
mine are 5 and 9 and I’m always exhausted.
General parenting, plus a Sen child, plus work equals being knackered all the time.

This is the post I needed to see tonight so thank you 🙌🏼

Constantly exhausted lately with 4 year old and 18 month old and I just thought I was a shitty person who wasn't cut out for parenting!

My youngest is 20 and I’m still knackered. I’m up half the night waiting and worrying for them to get in safe! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Why? I was a mum at age 20, that seems very OTT.

Amazing, thank you so much, I’m definitely going to try all of those. Feeling hopeful I might actually feel normal again..!
Ha yes if I win the lottery I’ll be investing in a nanny 🤣

Yes. I am deeply exhausted after 13 years of 2 DC