Too Tired To Be A Good Mom

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. An affiliate advertising is designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post may contain affiliate links.

Do you ever feel like you are too tired to be a good mom? I have been there and I want to let you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

For the first time in eleven years, I am not pregnant or breastfeeding (or both). I know what it feels like to be exhausted.

Life as a mom can be the most rewarding and the most challenging thing we ever do. We take on this task willingly and with open arms but some days we feel like we cannot hold our arms up any longer for we are just too tired.

Newborns keep us up at night with diaper changes and feedings. Toddlers keep us going all day long and barely pause for a breath. As our children get older, the physical exhaustion can shift to mental exhaustion as we try and help these tiny humans learn to navigate the world around them. We try and teach them all the skills they will need to not only survive in this world but to thrive.

We keep pushing because we are moms.

My current exhaustion is mental.

There is something about being a mom that keeps us going.

My 6-year-old is struggling to read and I want to help him with every ounce of my being but I know deep down in my soul that he just is not ready yet. Not being able to help him, despite my most enlightened attempts, is emotionally exhausting.

I keep pushing forward because his passion is there. He wants to learn. He is excited about the journey. I spend hours researching the best way to help him for the stage he is at and then go back to the drawing board when that does not work either. One step at a time.

I invest my time and energy into this little human. I do this because I know he is worth it and his smile makes my heart melt.

The Value Of Down Time

When my children were younger, I used to value a nap when I could take one. We had “quiet time” every afternoon. When the baby was napping, the older boys would get to watch a movie or show – Chuggington and Bob the Builder were favourites. This quiet time would allow me, the exhausted mama, to get around 30 minutes of sleep – unless the baby had different plans.

None of my boys have ever been good nappers. They have slept well at night but there is just far too much happening in the day to want to sleep.

Now that naps never happen, I appreciate the value of downtime.

My youngest is now old enough that he will willingly play independently or with his brother’s for a considerable stretch of time. I will take this time, whatever time of day it happens to be, and take some time for myself.

It is so important to remember that we are important people too. As moms, we often forget to take care of ourselves.

Self-care, especially when you are feeling too tired to be a good mom, is so important. If we have nothing to give, we can not be the best versions of ourselves.

Recharge your batteries with self-care.

My Self Care Activities

These activities are just ones that have worked for me.

Self-reflection will help you understand what activities will best rejuvenate you when you are feeling too tired to be a good mom. Whether it be the ones I suggest, or maybe going out for a manicure or spa date, I hope you can find something that works for you.

Getting Up Early

I know, I know – we are talking about being exhausted and I suggest we wake up early. How crazy am I?

In all honesty, I thought waking up early would be the hardest thing in my life and I continuously put it off. Then we got a puppy. Now, I do not suggest getting a puppy if you are exhausted but we did.

Puppy Nova loved to wake up at 5:30am for the first two months that we had him. His x-pen is right beside my side of the bed and therefore I woke up when the puppy needed to go out for a morning pee.

After 2 months of this habit, I started to love getting up early. Being up before my family allowed me to have some time to do what I wanted to do – like yoga and meditation.

No longer did I need to escape for some quiet time in the middle of the day and hope it fits into our schedule. In the morning, I was able to do what I wanted to do without stress or a timeline.

Yoga

I recently challenged myself to do a 108 sun salutation yoga challenge. Currently, I can only do about 15 in a row but each and every day I am getting better. With each day I practice, I am feeling stronger and more in flow. If I am feeling too tired to be a good mom, I am typically feeling stagnant as well. Getting up and moving my body is a great way to re-energize myself both mentally and physically.

I love yoga because it is a gentle form of exercise. It gets the blood flowing and the body moving without feeling overly strenuous. I love stretching my body and moving it in new and exciting ways.

I can also do yoga with my kids. Which allows for self-care and bonding at the same time.

While I might not reach 108 sun salutations any time soon, I love having the goal to motivate and push me forward.

Meditation

I shared about my meditation space in the past.

Being able to have space in my home where I can sit and reflect upon the recent events or clear my mind has been very helpful.

I have recently shifted from guided meditations into a more pure form of meditation – nothingness. In the morning, I am able to sit quietly as my house is asleep. I can focus on my breath and just observe my thoughts. These nothingness meditations have really helped my mental state and mental clarity over the past few months.

It allows me to feel more motivated and inspired. My mind is clearer.

Journaling

I love to journal.

Journaling gives me a quiet time to sit and decompress. I am let go of what if cluttering my mind, what is weighing me down.

From daily gratitude to stream of conscious journaling or positive affirmations, I find journaling to be very therapeutic. It allows me to clear out the thoughts from my head and put them down onto paper. This helps me ignore these thoughts without forgetting about them. It also allows me to work through ideas I have and want to share for later.

I have many journal prompts and positive affirmation ideas over on my other website, Nourishing Existence.

Too Tired To Be A Good Mom?

Last but not least, I want to remind you that you are a good mom.

You are doing a great job and deserve to take time for yourself. Remember that you are the most important person in your life and doing what you need to do to feel energized and refreshed is important.

You deserve it.