5 Coping Strategies When You're Sick of Parenting

In the nine years I've had the pleasure of being the host of the Mighty Mommy podcast, I've shared the joys and hardships of parenting. Although I stand by my tagline, "It's the toughest job you'll ever love," I am also honest in admitting that as much as I love my kids, there have been plenty of days I have disliked everything there is about parenthood.

Taking care of a family (especially one with eight kids!) is a 24/7 job, and on those days when we get overwhelmed and think "If I have to wipe one more runny nose or pick up another tossed plate of mac and cheese..." well, on those days our kids still depend on us and the show must go on.

I've been at this parenting thing for 28 years now and I couldn't count the number of times I've wanted to throw in the towel and take a massive time-out. But that wasn't an option. So instead, I found coping mechanisms to help me through the tough times. Here are the five ways I survived the challenges of parenting: 

Strategy #1: Figure out why you're down on parenting

During the quiet moments when our baby sleeps, when our first grader is quietly playing with blocks, or when our tween is studiously working on homework, parenthood seems like a piece of cake. But in a blink, that same baby develops colic, our first grader is now throwing his blocks at the colicky baby, and our tween hates school and refuses to pick up a book. Unfortunately, there is no rhyme or reason to each day and oftentimes parenthood becomes a game of wits.

If you find yourself struggling to enjoy your role as a parent, do some soul searching and see if one of these situations could be the culprit:

• Loneliness: Many parents go it alone and don't have external support systems in place. This leaves them feeling depleted and alone.
• Exhaustion: Sleep deprivation and physical needs not being met, including proper nutrition and exercise.
• Loss of Purpose: Taking a career break to raise your child can leave you feeling nonexistent and even resentful. Not pursuing personal hobbies and interests also has negative repercussions.
• Relationship Issues: Single parents, marriage difficulties, strains with...

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