""Why are you always so grumpy, Mama?" my five-year-old asks with wide, innocent eyes, as though my ragged mental state has nothing to do with her waking me up at night. For months, she's been coming to my bed around 2am, standing over me in her purple silk bonnet and star print pajamas, an adorable but terrifying apparition. She is too young to understand that these interruptions erode my sanity, resulting in a less tolerant, more short-tempered me."
"A decade into becoming a mother, I'm working harder than ever, often suppressing my needs to prioritize my two kids. As the lead parent, head chef, entertainment director, administrator, bad cop, and buyer of everything-from-toys-to-socks(not to mention a grinding cog in the corporate machine), it's impossible to do it all with a cheerful attitude, especially without a full night's sleep. I'm well within my right to be grumpy. But is this all they see?"
Chronic nighttime interruptions and cumulative caregiving duties produce persistent exhaustion and short temper. The primary caregiver juggles multiple roles—lead parent, head chef, entertainment director, administrator, disciplinarian, and household purchaser—while also working in corporate life. Suppressing personal needs to prioritize two children intensifies resentment and erodes patience. Invisible labor and performative effort mask years of practice and sacrifice, but the strain shows through tense voice, tightened jaw, and dark circles. Love for the children coexists with days when caregiving feels unbearable. The shift from former timidity to an assertive, angry role highlights identity changes caused by sustained parental pressure.
Read at Scary Mommy
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