When Your Child Needs You 24/7: Don’t Forget You
It’s Sunday night. Finally, the kids are fed. Everyone is settled. The house is clean, or at least clean enough that you can pretend it is. You look around and, for a second, you see it. Peace. You think, Finally. I can sit down. Maybe you can finally watch that movie you started three nights ago. Maybe you can scroll through your phone without someone calling your name. Maybe you can just sit in silence for five freaking minutes. Not even a minute passes. “Mommy.” There it is. Just when you thought you finally had a little time for yourself, you are needed again. And when you’re parenting a child who needs constant supervision, emotional regulation, therapy, assistance, reassurance, or simply needs you around almost all the time, “me time” can start to feel like a luxury you don’t even have the energy to feel guilty about. You love your child. You would do anything for them. But damn, you are tired. In your head, you’re screaming: Wait. Just give me five minutes. I just sat down...
