"After I had my first baby, I came to a stark realization in just a few days: I would, for the rest of my child's life, always be worried about them in some capacity. Even when they were tucked safe into their beds and sleeping soundly, I'd have anxiety for their wellbeing and their future. Motherhood comes with a baseline of anxiety."
""What's the 'hard pill to swallow' about motherhood," the original poster asked. "For me it's that: no one is as interested in your kids as you are. You have friends that got excited when you were pregnant and still love you dearly. But you are the one who's the most interested in everything that is your kid. Yes they'll want to hear the occasional update but overall their lives didn't change dramatically when your kid was born, yours did.""
New parents experience an enduring, baseline anxiety about their child's safety and future, even during peaceful moments. Many realize that other people's lives do not change as dramatically, leaving the parent as the primary invested party. Parents report needing time away to recoup despite intense love, which triggers guilt. Parenting while ill, managing declining elder-care responsibilities alongside young children, and becoming the default problem-solvers heighten stress. Perfection becomes unattainable; acceptance of messy realities makes daily life more manageable and often more enjoyable for the whole family.
Read at Scary Mommy
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