To think some people exaggerate how tired they are as parents?

[ThatMellowGreenFatball]

Yes, raising kids is hard, but sometimes it seems like people milk the ‘tired parent’ angle for sympathy. AIBU to think they overstate it?

Well I guess that depends on people's individual circumstances.
Are they lone parents? Do their kids have SEN? Do they have no support?
Do they have health issues of their own?

I won't go into my own reasons, but people who know me often ask, are you sleeping? You look shattered. Mostly because I am. I am bone crushingly tired and it leads to me getting unwell every few weeks.

I don't doubt they're tired, especially when their child is ill. What I find a bit odd though is that sympathy only seems to go towards the tired parent/s and not the poor child who is sick and miserable. That's who I feel sorry for.

Uh, the first three years per child are very hard

I was really tired

I do think a lot of it is mental too

What to eat for dinner
Need to remember XYZ for DD'S school activity tomorrow
Work project due X date

Etc etc

YABVU

I’ve never ever been that tired in my life and I used to work long hours, all nighters sometimes. Nothing compared to the months and months of never getting any sleep before 1am at the earliest, usually later and never getting more than an hour or so at the most. Are you generally incapable of imagining anything outside of your own experience?

YANBU.

We all have our challenges. Middle age insomnia is far more debilitating as far as I am concerned.

The endless whining by new parents is extremely tiresome.

I've been a full time working single parent since my twins were babies - I haven't slept more than 2-3 hours in a row in years. Am I tired? Of course but I do hate the competitive tiredness that seems to go on.

Hmm - thats not my experience.