Parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done.

[GeoffLeopard]

I have 2 DDs, 5 & 3. Some days I can't deal with it. It's not so much the rubbish stuff like tantrums, mess, having no money etc it's the emotional burden. The pressure to model a good way of being. The responsibility to make things better. Getting them to eat a decent diet. Latest thing is my daughter being selectively excluded from her friendship group. Can't bear to see her upset & not wanting to go to school. It's a hideous HIDEOUS feeling.

I do have moderate depression & anxiety but it's not even that (tho it's bound to be having an effect). Parenting is just so hard. It's made me even more sensitive than I already am! It's tiring and unrelenting but then I get upset thinking that time is slipping through my fingers.

Don't know what I expect anyone to say just needed to put this down somewhere.

Yes. Its bloody draining. Trying to be a responsible, decent, reasonable person so that they turn out that way when all you want to do is sit down for a bit and not be any of these things is hard.

The constant guilt and worry and sadness when things go wrong or they are sad.

I only have one so I don't know why I'm pluralising everything but I understand.

Thanks guys, it's good to 'chat' to people who understand x

yes yes yes to the feeling of sadness when they are sad! Something similar re:friendship group happening to my DD and its a physical pain to see them upset, like a knife in your very soul. And this is from someone who scoffs at the thought of being over emotional. It is the hardest thing in the world in my experience.

Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean. I struggle so much with the emotional load of it. I was woken just over 14 hours ago by 'poo in nappy mummy' being bellowed through my door, before I'd opened my eyes. And I did not stop catering for the needs of my children in a myriad of ways until about an hour ago and only because DH came in and took over, well ate the dinner I'd made whilst chatting to the kids, then tidying up toys and doing bedtime routine. Him doing that meant it was only 14 hours of intense parenting, I'm in bed now and utterly shattered.

As an aside, there's a woman I work with who is so self absorbed and annoying: she's now pregnant and I cannot wait for her to be a parent

I don't think anyone can find it easy, no way. It's so intense.

Thanks again for your posts. Ha it'll be interesting to see how your work 'mate' gets on!

Strawberry, sorry to hear about your dd. You're right, it's definitely a physical pain, a knife to the heart!!! I hope things improve soon.