To Every Exhausted Mom out There, You Are Enough

If you’re a parent, you must already know that parenting can be deeply rewarding – but also extremely stressful. No matter how good a job you do with your little ones, there are days when you can feel too incompetent and overwhelmed to make a good mother or father.

But don’t let the gloomy days kill your self-esteem! When you feel blue, try reading this beautiful, touching letter to weary mothers by Bethany Jacobs – a parenting guru and postpartum doula from Tampa, Florida – instead. These heartwarming parenting quotes have touched the hearts of over 200,000 readers on Facebook (1, 3) – and they’ll remind you, too, that just doing your best can be good enough (3)!

A Letter to Weary Mothers by Bethany Jacobs

Published on December 16, 2016, Bethany’s letter has since then gone on to touch the hearts of over 200,000 readers online. Indeed, some 230,000 Facebook users, many of them parents, have raved about this heartfelt reminder of the innate self-worth and importance of a parent (1,3).

“This is lovely… I can honestly say my wife may have been all these things at one time but the kids only ever saw her as a loving, caring, nurturing, and sometimes stern mummy,” said James, a father of two, in a Facebook comment (1). “The small part I did was to try and be there for my wife when she did cry, or smash a glass, or want to blow off steam. Mums are amazing.”

In another popular Facebook comment, Amy, a single mother, agreed heartily with Bethany as she noted: “This is me… everyday. […] If I’ve learned anything, it’s that [it’]s okay to break down… everyday if needed… it’s okay to not be perfect. It doesn’t matter to the kids, just tell them you love them everyday. It’ll be okay” (1).

Another parent, Sarah, provided an anecdote from her own life that proves Bethany’s words to be true: “I yelled at my 3-year-old son the other day for something so minor out of complete exhaustion. I expected him to say I was mean. And I deserved that. Instead he said, Mommy, you’re my best friend” (1).

So if you ever find yourself having doubts about your credentials as a parent, just remember: Doing your best to love and care for your child can be good enough!

More Tips for Stressed Parents

If you find that you are severely stressed, depressed, or anxious no matter what you read or try, you should consult a medical professional about your mental health.

But for now, if you would simply like more resources on parenting or mental wellness for parents, you should give these tips a try:

Eat a balanced diet of fresh, whole, natural foods. Avoiding junk food – and getting enough fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, probiotics, and healthy fats instead – will keep you energized and help prevent and alleviate mental disorders, like depression (3).

Aim to get 7 hours of sleep every day. While little ones can keep you awake in the middle of the night, getting enough sleep every day, even in small bursts, is important for preventing symptoms of depression or anxiety (2).
Get active. Exercise can help alleviate depression and offer other benefits for your mental health (9). Squeeze in a few aerobic exercises while your little ones are napping – or play actively with them to give both yourself and your children a fun workout.
Keep busy with hobby or work. Parenting can involve long periods of nothingness (e.g. nap time for the baby) between moments of chaos. If you feel particularly bored or lonely during these stretches of time, try keeping your mind distracted and busy with a new hobby or at-home work.

Learn more about mental health and wellness (for parents). Find stress management tips and do your research on mental health issues common to parents, like this guide by the San Antonio Behavioral Hospital (6).
Brush up on your parenting techniques. If you feel that your parenting skills need improvement, check out good books, tips, and online resources on parenting, like this one by the American Psychology Association (7).
Check out Bethany’s other works. If you’d like to read more of Bethany’s words of wisdom and encouragement on parenting, try her Facebook Page. You can also visit her website to consult her about other aspects mothering and parenting, like lactation and getting your children to develop proper sleeping habits.

So the next time you feel that you’re not the best parent you can be, just remember that you don’t have to be the best all the time. Your child, for one, will love you anyway!

Sources:

Facebook.com: LoveWhat Matters. (2017). Letter to Mothers. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/lovewhatreallymatters/photos/a.710462625642805.1073741828.691679627521105/1387928624562865/ [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
Al-Abri, M. A. (2015). Sleep Deprivation and Depression: A bi-directional association. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(1), e4–e6.

Popa, T., & Ladea, M. (2012). Nutrition and depression at the forefront of progress. Journal of Medicine and Life, 5(4), 414–419.
Jacobs, B. (2017). Latched and Attached: Letter to Mothers. [online] Facebook.com. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/latchedattached/posts/723025821187354 [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
Jacobs, B. (2017). Latched and Attached. [online] Latchedandattached.com. Available at: http://www.latchedandattached.com/ [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].

Sanantoniobehavioral.com: San Antonio Behavioral Hospital. (2017). Helpful Mental Health Resources From San Antonio Behavioral Hospital. [online] Available at: http://www.sanantoniobehavioral.com/node/1313 [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
Novotney, A. (2017). Parenting that works. [online] http://www.apa.org. Available at: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/10/parenting.aspx [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].
Jacobs, B. (2017). About: Latched and Attached. [online] Facebook.com. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/latchedattached/about/?ref=page_internal [Accessed 29 Nov. 2017].

Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(3), 104–111.