Olivia Barredo
January 24, 2023

Providing for your child’s needs is essential daily, bringing unconditional love, patience, and care. While being a parent can be one of the most rewarding roles ever to have, it can be emotionally overwhelming and mentally draining. One of the challenges for all parents is having to go through isolation. At some point, being a parent may require 24/7 child care, and avoidance of desired activities or routines, especially if these activities do not have anything to do with your child, can draw loneliness. In a scenario like this, the parent will need to seek support. More so, it is a challenge to do everything correctly when caring for your child while it is impossible to be the “perfect” parent.

 

It is undeniably common that you may have received advice or opinions from people that come across as conflicting or unwanted when it comes to doing the right thing as a parent. Ensure that you refrain from coming to situations where you question your capabilities and weaknesses since it can be exhausting and stressful. Sometimes, it is essential to remind oneself that it is okay to ask for help and accept the challenges and obstacles that come one’s way. Recognizing burnout is something for every parent to consider, especially when there is a child in daily need. The requirement to care for your child is burnout for all parents but is practically common. 

 

Before going over the coping mechanisms for parenting, here’s what you need to remember about Parental Burnout!

 

What is Parental Burnout?

 

Parental Burnout is caused when parents are physically and mentally consumed daily by their child’s needs. From feeling emotional exhaustion, leading up to high levels of stress and neglect. 

 

Image from Good Housekeeping

 

The following symptoms below are the most common parental burnout identifiers which vary for every parent and individual: 

 

• Emotionally detached 

• Ineffective Parenting 

• Feeling demotivated 

• Ideation of escaping

• High Stress 

• Poor Sleep

• Confusion

• Anxiety 

• Depression

• Easily irritable

• Forgetful 

Minimizing and Coping: 8 Ways to Cope with Parental Burnout

Connect with Other People

 

Surrounding yourself with people is the best thing for you and is more important than spending your time alone all day. Find the best time to participate in social activities, and seek connection with other people. Reach out to other parents and share your experience. As recommended, chat with people you trust and ask for support. Speaking of support, many parents are going through a similar experience as you have, attending parental support groups is not a bad thing, but rather invaluable. Touching base with other parents going through the same parental burnout can help eliminate feeling isolated or ashamed.

 

Image from HuffPost

 

Sometimes, parents question their parenting skills such as “What is happening to me?” or “Am I doing the right thing?” Connecting with other individuals who can relate to the feeling of self-doubt and are aware of the obstacles can help make you feel less lonely and isolated. In line with this, you may want to try to regularly touch base with other people,  in similar situations, you may want to participate in a therapy session to ensure that it will help you de-stress and feel more motivated. While Therapists are currently needed by many seekers, speaking to a therapist when interested is not harmful. According to Dr. Kennedy Moore, he says that Physical activity and social contact are the two things that can increase our level of positive energy.

 

Abandon the Pursuit of Perfection

 

Are you aspired to set an impossible standard in parenting? In this day and age, many aspire to set a high bar, especially when it comes to the need for over-parenting. Sometimes, receiving parenting advice can be just so overwhelming that it drains one’s parental instincts and confidence. A notable piece of advice an expert may tell you to de-clutter stress in parenting is to abandon the pursuit of the perfect parent. Rather, be open to perspectives on all the parenting advice so that you can choose and make your own decisions that you feel work for you at the end of the day. Consider the pursuit of perfection a myth, otherwise, you may continue struggling and go through your days of self-defeat which is not worth it and something you do not deserve. 

 

Practice self-compassion through kindness and appreciation when it comes to relating with other people who have been through the same experiences as you have. Stay present and be open to the pain and struggle of others. When we treat ourselves with the same respect we offer an individual, opens a whole other mindset that helps us become stronger and more resilient.  Our stress responses can turn into nurturing ones if we have self-compassion. This coping mechanism can help provide a sense of well-being. Whenever we feel emotionally drained or overwhelmed, we should allow ourselves to recognize our humanity, and offer ourselves some respect. 

 

Make Time for Yourself

 

Taking time for oneself is one of the most essential coping mechanisms for parental burnout, especially if you are a parent taking care of more than one child. At least taking the time for yourself for not more than 10 minutes will make a huge difference in your everyday life. When your child goes to bed, ensure to find the time to relax and practice self-care. 

 

Image from Beachbody on Demand

 

You can even do self-medication and leave yourself doing a quick jog outside of your home, and other exercise routines. Look for a peaceful and quiet place to stay as they are therapeutic for the mind and soul. In addition, having peace of mind is very essential for you to coping up with parental burnout. 

 

Revive Your Life

 

Experts may also say that when dealing with parental burnout, parents must ensure their children are observing a healthy lifestyle and ensure they are provided with the well-being they need. To achieve that, putting yourself first and reviving your life is recommended! Observing positive energy while teaming up with friends, and people for moral support will change your mindset and outlook in life as a parent.

 

It is recommended for parents recognize the importance of taking breaks and that it can be helpful to take breaks and switch off social media since it can negatively impact your mental health and adds more stress. With that, you are distracting yourself from alerts that could force you back onto the screen all day.

 

Be Open About It

 

Be open about your struggles to anyone you trust. Find comfort by reaching out to people who understand your situation. Opening up will help you be can facilitate by social support, a much-needed resource for parents who are having trouble coping with burnout. It may not be easy to admit your struggles since burned-out parents often feel isolated, which can prevent them from healthy support. 

 

Image from Focus on the Family

 

Many experts have said that seeking practical and moral support on parental burnout will help further normalize the syndrome and get rid of the shame from the parental experience. Understand that you’re not the only parent with a short temper, or feeding your child with their favorite meals all day - recognize that you are not alone.

 

Seek Professional Help

 

Seeking professional help can reduce burnout, and even bolster our peace of mind, as long as we practice these self-care habits. However, experts say that there are potentially severe consequences for children when burned-out parents are constantly overwhelmed and stressed out. In addition, the parent is designed to conquer stress and burnout without self-defeating. Otherwise, you can seek professional help if you feel you are starting to lose a part of yourself. 

 

Image from Talking Teenage

 

To be a resilient parent, the child will need loving, calm, and patient caregivers. Experts say that the child can tolerate being alone when the parent is constantly present. This a reminder that parents are on the front, protecting and guiding their children, especially in times of crisis. Seeking well-being is important so addressing burnout is essential.

 

Reevaluate and Identify Your Stressors

 

The lockdown has allowed parents to take much-needed time for their children while for some, it was exhausting. Take the time to monitor your stressors, so you know how you can better cope with your stressors. Experts say parents who have addressed burnout lockdown alone were not the primary risk factor. Researchers discovered that it is the perspectives of individuals on what they think or felt about — that trigger burnout. With that, how much parents experienced burnout is depending on how they felt about the lockdown. 

 

In addition, feelings of drain and exhaustion in parenting are those with a negative perspective. There is no harm to reappraise your perspective if you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed by your parenting. Look for ways to improve and re-evaluate the areas of your life that you feel thankful for, as it may help to reframe the hardships as something you can overcome with resilience, rather than self-defeat. 

 

Start Where You Are

 

Oftentimes, burnout slowly creeps up when we tend to forget to practice self-check, and rather, stress out during the pandemic. Take moments to breathe and be open to the obstacles you are experiencing. Take a mindful, break. Taking the “STOP” method is highly recommended by many. Do breathing exercises and take a look at your senses. Observe your thoughts and emotions, and confidently decide what to do next.

 

Image from Parents

 

There is nothing wrong is asking yourself: Am I feeling lonely? Am I not getting enough rest? Should I hydrate more often with fluids and meals? Am I feeling happy today? It is important to remember to always value our peace of mind. Finding moments of peace and positivity can help you instill more meaningful moments and healthy relationships with your children. 

 

We hope you learned the essential tips for coping with burnout! We wish you a happy and healthy time with your kids!