Seeing Through The Tiredness!

I went to a 2 year old's birthday party the other day and I spoke to many of the mummy attendees. When asked, "How are you doing?" 100% of the responses were "I'm tired!". For years, that has been my response to that question. I don't even need to think about it, it just rolls off my tongue.

I had a conversation with my friend the recently and I was explaining that this tiredness is deep rooted, it's no longer just physical, it's mentally and emotionally. It's so deep that its reaching my soul. No amount of sleep will make a difference. Sometimes i think to myself if anything will make a difference. I could go away for a week and sit on beautiful beach and bask in the sun, be still and enjoy the silence (wishful thinking, I know) and come home, as soon as you hit the door, the routine begins again and it's like you never went away in the first place.

Being a mum is the best thing in the world but I won't lie and say that it isn't the hardest. Not because it's difficult per say, but because it is constant. Whether you're tired, sick, working a job, juggling errands, mentally exhausted, you have your children depending on you, so you keep going.

I'm not writing this to complain, I'm writing this to let you know that you're not alone. Some of us are struggling silently, wishing they could have just a moment to themselves or even just a little help. Some of us can't shake the tiredness and that tiredness has been engrained and become a part of us. I understand you. I sympathize with you.

The world looks at mums as these great household figures, and we are. That we can manage to handle full time jobs, raise the children, tidy the house and make sure dinner is on the table in a timely manner...but we're also human. Sometimes we battle between wanting to be that figure in the home, take pride in looking after our families and running the home and just thinking nope, we need to split chores and raising the kids, (if you have a partner at home) because mumma is tired!

We get caught up with what society dictates as what a woman's role is. Then feel pressured to uphold, to manage the load, stay on top of it and not complain. Do you! Find what works for you. If you need help, reach out to someone, even if its just to have a moan and get things off your chest.

We say it takes a village to raise a child but we no longer have that privilege of a village. Our children's grandparents work up to or way after their retirement to help make ends meet. So our kids don't get to go to their house with their cousins on the weekends because guess what? They're tired! Us as parents send our children to nurseries or childminders for the majority of the day, to go to jobs that we don't like, to pay the fees for the people who are raising our children. We don't get to take it in turns to watch over our friend's children each weekend because we just about have the energy to give our own kids quality time, let alone others.

Know that you are not alone. Your feelings are valid. Don't be hard on yourself, you're doing the best you can mumma. Your children appreciate and love you as much as you love them. We're tired but we continue, because we have to.

Until next time mummas, take care x