Identifying Parental Burn Out
A few years ago, I tried going on Pinterest.
I lasted like 2 seconds.
The platform made me feel I had failed as a mother, to quote sit-com mom Beverly Goldberg. I was never going to make beautiful homemade cupcakes or design my children’s room to look like Martha Stewart went wild with it.
Parenting now is a competitive-level sport. It seems that keeping our children sheltered, fed, clothed, educated, and safe is not enough. Academic pressures, overscheduling with extra-curricular activities, and the social media comparison game has added a layer of complexity to modern day parenting. On top of all of that, there is the rising cost of housing, education, and childcare with which to content.
Parents of children with special medical needs have additional responsibilities and tasks including managing medications, doctors’ appointments, and behavioral challenges. A study examining the cortisol levels (the stress hormone that becomes our body's alarm system) in mothers of children with autism and behavioral challenges showed that these moms had stress signals in their bodies similar to soldiers in combat. If we fail to address the special circumstances faced by parents of neurodivergent children, we are then unable to provide the support they need, which puts them at higher risk for burn out.
In 2022, The Ohio State University labeled parental burn out as an “epidemic”. In a survey, they found that 66% of parents reported signs of parental burn out.
This means that if you are in a group of five parents, about 3 of them will likely be struggling with burn out.
In today’s article in this parental burnout series, I will discuss how to identify parental burnout. Identifying it is the first step to healing.
Parenting has always been stressful. As mammals, protecting, feeding, and keeping offspring safe is not anything new to us. While we no longer have to protect our children from bears, the competitive and pressure-cooker culture of parenting is taking its toll, and all of this was compounded by a pandemic that caused global economic crisis.
Burnout refers to chronic stress and exhaustion that overwhelm a parent’s capacity to function. Their battery is literally drained.
There are 10 symptoms that characterize burn out, beyond the expected stress of parenting. You may be burned out as a parent if :
1. You are easily irritated with your children
2. You feel that you are not a good parent
3. You are emotionally and physically exhausted
4. You are not finding joy in parenting anymore
5. You are consumed by feelings of guilt
6. You feel like you are in survival mode as a parent
7. You feel emotional disconnection or emptiness
8. You lose your temper easily with your children
9. You feel overwhelmed juggling job, house hold management, and parenting
10. You don’t feel like you are doing a good job as a parent
Essentially, parental burnout is a state of complete depletion where parents feel they have nothing more to give.
Your battery is drained.
Your cup is empty.
And you cannot pour from an empty cup.
So now what? I don’t want this article to bum you out.
Like with most conditions, awareness is the first step to identify, treat, and prevent parental burnout. In the next article in this series, I will focus actionable steps to treat and prevent parental burn-out.
Culver Pediatrics Center is hosting a one-day mini-retreat designed to prevent parental burn-out for parents/caregivers of neurodivergent children.
We are also hosting a 3-day retreat exclusively for female-identifying parents and caregivers of children affected by PANDAS/PANS.
At Culver Pediatrics Center we aim to transform children’s mind, body, spirit health by educating and empowering families, communities and schools in holistic nutritional wellness because. We believe healthy children start with healthy adults in their lives. We take a Veggies Over Pills approach for our comprehensive pediatric services, combining science-based medicine with holistic principles. Schedule a consultation to start your children’s wellness journey with us.
Do you already have a great pediatrician for your children, but would like to transform your own mind, body, spirit health for the benefit of those you love most? Our Holistic Wellness Program For Women is right for you.
We aim to be the best pediatric practice in Marshall County, Lake Maxinkuckee area, and the state of Indiana. If your child is not yet part of the Culver Pediatrics Center family, sign up in the email opt-in below to learn more about our boutique pediatrician services.
