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Not surprising, the number of children also played a role in parental burnout, the researchers found.
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Below, what to know about parental burnoutincluding warning signs and resources parents can utilizeaccording to mental health experts.
What is parental burnout, and what are the symptoms?
Namely, COVID-19 forced parents to live in a state of indefinite pause.
COVID has cut into a lot of the normal things we would do to save ourselves.
There is no break.
In my school district they re-instituted masks.
The When are we ever going to be done?
feeling is very hard for people raising children, she explains.
For some, this can mean a change in the way they perceive their parental duties.
Below, weve rounded up several ideas from experts about what parents can do to help alleviate their burnout.
Parents often cravetime alone when suffering from parental burnout, Dr. Kennedy-Moore says.
Even if its a couple short, five-minute recovery breaks during the day where you do something for you.
Simple things like that work, Dr. Melnyk adds.
If youre really feeling burnt out, go seek connection with another parent.
My guess is theyre going to say, Me too, Dr. Kennedy-Moore says.
Talk to someone you trust about how youre feeling.
So many parents are feeling the same way, Dr. Melnyk adds.
Oftentimes, she says, parents going through this think, There must be something wrong with me.
Therefore, consider options that allow for bothfor example hiking with other parents and their children.
When burnt out, parents should reevaluate their schedule and prioritize what matters most.
We need to question our standards: If it doesnt matter to you, let it go.
For parents, this could mean checking your calendar and canceling what doesnt feel essential.
Some research shows that increased consumption can have a negative impact on your mental health and increase stress.
That way you arent getting distracting alerts that coax you back onto the platform all day long.
The mental health needs right now are huge.
You may also want to start with this guide tofinding an affordable therapist.
[But] it is really a strength to recognize when youre burnt out.
Its not a weakness.
Weve got to be more self-compassionate.
