Exhausted mom that needs a rest? Here is how to get one

Exhausted mom that needs a rest? Here is how to get one

Mothering is a high calling. A privilege and an honor. It is also a heck of a lot of work.

Children are a gift, people are fond of saying. And of course, they are. But on that day when it is OUR child melting down in public, the kind where everybody stares at you with disdain?

But on that day when it is OUR child melting down in public, the kind where everybody stares at you with disdain?

That day when you just finished cleaning the kitchen for the 4th time of the day and our gifts spill sticky juice all over the floor. The table. The walls?

That day when our gifts have been sick and we’ve done nothing but care for them, often in our own weakness?

That day when the gifts are bickering incessantly, or not catching on to school work requiring extra help, or copping a big attitude?

On those days, we are afraid to say just how near the edge we are. How we are falling apart on the inside and very close to losing it on the outside.  Friends, motherhood is hard work!

 Just because being a parent is awesome, doesn’t mean it is bad to say we struggle sometimes. 

How do I deal with my mom’s burnout?

It is more than ok to admit our weakness.

Let me put my arm around your shoulder and whisper some comfort… motherhood IS an amazing journey.  That doesn’t mean it is bad to admit that we often feel inadequate or frustrated or just desperate for a break! I promise.

Recently, I spoke to a sweet group of moms who needed to know a Mama’s time out is a good thing. A necessary thing.

Let’s break a time out into a 3 part series, where you’ll walk away with a refreshed vision for how to make this a part of your days.

Part 1 explores, Why Do We Fight The Rest?   Part 2 will cover the Case For Investing In Quiet Time, and Part 3 will offer you plenty of Practical How-To’s.

What moms need to know about feeling exhausted

Psalm 107:29- He calmed the storm to a whisper, and stilled the waves

When my kids were small, I walked the perpetual plank toward unforeseen emotional hurricanes.

My husband at times worked opposite shifts to make ends meet. My health began to tank starting a 20-year journey during my second pregnancy.

I homeschooled with chronic illness, not enough money, frequent moves, and a seasick balance of peace. Plus? I just wanted to do it all “perfect”, as if.

Often I worried about taking a break, because it might be considered lazy, or selfish.

I learned the hard way that a time out is the best gift we can give our family, as well as ourselves. That is why I am so passionate about encouraging you to lay down the chaos, seek peace and pursue it.

Why do emotionally exhausted moms fight rest?

Psalm 116:7 assures us, Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you… yet, we struggle to grasp what that can mean for us.

Curious I researched the word “return”.  One definition says a return is a profit from an investment.  What a hopeful perspective!

Our rest is a profit from our investment of time, so the Lord can show us just how good to us He is.

What causes an overwhelmed and exhausted mom?

• Guilt– This is a biggie. Guilt is either conviction or the belief in something untrue. Moms tend to think that they are undeserving of a rest. That there is far too much responsibility
• Too much to do- The world really won’t end, and I get that it feels like it will. But we put too much pressure on ourselves to think we can do it all. And if we manage to do it all, can we really do it all well? Let some things go and invest in the rest. It gives back perspective
• Lazy- Choosing rest isn’t lazy, it is wisdom. It is biblical. It is a gift. The more we try when we have nothing left, the further we get from the power of restoration
• Literally no time- The schedule is packed or the family needs are great
• Too young of children- They need constant care
• Additional work on top of parenting– Outside jobs, an at-home business, etc.
• Comparison- Don’t let the magazines and parenting books create an impossible model of what a mom should be. Don’t waste time imagining your friends do it better than you, or like their kids more, etc. “Comparison is the thief of joy”- Theodore Roosevelt
• No spousal support– Whether it be time, financial, or other
• The biggie? Supermom syndrome. Being all that we did or didn’t have- When I became a mom I worked so hard to do it perfectly. My kids would be always well-behaved, and if I worked hard enough, they would grow into beautiful adults that contribute broadly the everyone and everything around them. Even more than that perfect mom and wife, I wanted to be Super Woman. In all areas. When I couldn’t be super, there was no gray area. Super/Failure seemed to be the only options

Can you hear your own voice echoing in any of these? In Part 2,  we’ll combat these reasons with a solid case of why absolutely can and should invest in quiet time. Lastly, in Part 3 we’ll look at real-life ideas on making it work.

In the meantime, here is a special momentary break for you. Click here to download a Calm in the Chaos word search, and here for the solution.

Too exhausted to be a “good” mom?

Let me touch on this briefly. Parenthood can bring out the micromanager in all of us, can’t it?

When my children were small, there was one particularly frustrating and terrible day that sticks out in my memory. It was long before I had even heard of quiet time being a possibility for mamas.

I reached the end of my parental rope and snapped.  I exploded, and the confused and hurt look on my kid’s face stings even after so many years.

Don’t let yourself get that far.

It is so powerful for us to let down our guard and let it out with someone who can encourage us. It is essential for us not to look at another’s bad day with any judgment, but instead…grace.

 Supermom doesn’t exist. We are super because we show up, that is what is what makes us a hero. 

Just show up, and let’s learn how to let rest be our secret weapon in fighting the good fight of motherhood.

Resources to encourage exhausted moms:

• Midnight Mom Devotional: 365 Prayers to Put Your Momma Heart to Rest
• Find Peace: A 40-day Devotional Journey For Moms
• How to Keep House While Drowning: 31 days of compassionate help
• Not Just A Mom: The Extraordinary Worth of Motherhood & Homemaking 
• Fierce Faith: A Woman’s Guide to Fighting Fear, Wrestling Worry, and Overcoming Anxiety
• Memory-Making Mom: Building Traditions That Breathe Life Into Your Home
• The Good Enough Mom
• Guilt-Free Mommy: Insights and Tools to Overcome Mommy Guilt
• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms: Simple Ways to Stress Less and Enjoy Your Family More
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