The other day, I reached my breaking point. My kitchen resembled a disaster zone, with socks, shoes, and jackets strewn everywhere. Dirty plates cluttered the couch, and multiple cups had taken over the coffee table. One dog wouldn’t stop barking, while the other had just relieved itself on the floor. One child was whining about something insignificant, and the other was being particularly difficult. I had it.
“Enough is enough!” I exclaimed. “To your rooms. No phones, no games—nothing!” Naturally, this only led to more whining and defiance.
“Why are you so upset?!” they asked, which sent me over the edge.
This is the reality of motherhood; it’s the reason we lose our composure. After countless requests for them to pick up their socks or put their dishes in the sink, we start to feel invisible. Our pleas to limit the yelling during video games or to simply refrain from name-calling fall on deaf ears. Our voice becomes background noise, and chore charts turn into just another thing we have to remind them to look at.
We really lose it when we realize it takes a full-blown meltdown for anyone to notice what we say or the weight we carry.
We’ve offered you endless chances, kids, and I’m exhausted from repeating myself. This is the crux of our frustration. We’re utterly worn out, and it often goes unnoticed. We’re tired of reminding you to act responsibly, to pick up after yourselves, and to put your phones down.
Beyond physical fatigue, it’s a deep-seated exhaustion that comes from carrying the emotional burdens of the family. We juggle our tweens’ mood swings while wrestling with our own feelings.
Before becoming a mom, I never anticipated feeling this level of frustration. I considered myself a fairly chill person—at least I tried to be. Yet, in a matter of moments, I could transform from calm and collected to a raging mom.
Often, it’s the sheer messiness of life with kids that triggers these feelings. Clutter seems to be a permanent fixture, with fingerprints marking every wall and an endless cycle of cleaning up bodily fluids that I never signed up for.
Other times, anxiety can fuel the fire. Thoughts about finances, work stress, and the endless cycle of second-guessing can become overwhelming. The fears of what could happen—mass shootings, car accidents, and systemic issues—hang over us like a dark cloud.
Sometimes, we just lose it because we’re human, flawed, and imperfect. But more often than not, it’s the chaos and unpredictability of motherhood that pushes us over the edge. The constant pressure to manage everything can feel suffocating. The mental load of motherhood is profound yet difficult to articulate.
So, it’s no wonder that we occasionally snap. We’re not only managing our families’ well-being but also the weight of the world on our shoulders. We’re frustrated, saddened that life isn’t what we envisioned for our children, and grappling with a loss of our own identities.
This is why we lose it. So, let’s be kinder to ourselves. No one in our shoes wouldn’t feel overwhelmed at times.
There’s an immense pressure on parents—especially mothers—to be everything to everyone. We face constant judgment, and it’s exhausting.
So, when you feel yourself slipping, remember to be gentle with yourself. You’re justified in your feelings. You’re not “crazy.” You’re just human, and sometimes, we all drop the ball.
Take a moment for yourself—cry if you need to, and then pick yourself back up. You’re doing your best, and that’s what really matters. If you’re interested in more supportive resources regarding motherhood and fertility, you might want to check out this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination. Also, for those considering self-insemination, look into the various fertility supplements available to help boost your chances.
In the end, we’re all just trying to navigate this beautiful chaos called motherhood.