The NYT Parenting has been doing some excellent COVID-19 writing, and the awesome Jess Grose piece on parental burnout is no exception. This really resonated with me because, basically, I’m very tired.
I’m reluctant to acknowledge or complain about this because I’m aware I’m very lucky in a million ways. Our family is healthy, we are still employed, my kids think that being home with us all the time is great, Rhode Island actually has camp starting next week. But the fact is that whether it’s less sleep, more work, or simply the monotony, I find myself mentally exhausted.
And of course this makes me less good at my job, less good at parenting, less good at being a spouse and partner. (Unaffected: my ability to make bread.) It’s also made me less good at thinking carefully through the millions of decisions that seem to be coming up these days with the kids.
I suspect I’m echoing the feelings of many of you. I do not have any great solutions. But as my daughter’s millennial teacher would say, “I want to name this feeling.” So I’m naming it.