Being exhausted has multiple meanings and no one will ever understand just how exhausted you are. I recently had a friend ask me how I was doing and I told him I was exhausted. He asked me why I was exhausted and I explained to him, “remember I am babysitting two kids plus my own for ten hours every day.” He proceeded to say, “yeah so why are you exhausted? That totally infuriated me, like how dare you say, “yeah so” as if that’s not exhausting!
I continued to tell him how I drive thirty minutes and stay for ten hours and then drive another thirty minutes home not getting home until late, and it was as if he had to one up me because he started to talk about how he drives thirty minutes to work and thirty minutes back home every day too…okay good for you. Just because some people may work in an office doesn’t mean us moms who stay home and take care of kids all day aren’t “working”. The house I go to everyday is MY office.
I work every day just like anyone else who goes to work. We all have different careers, and mine happens to be a stay at home mom who babysits. People need to be more appreciative of us babysitters who are willing to take on the roll of being your child/children’s mother during the week. We are here so you, the ones who have to leave home, are able to still have your own career and don’t have to worry about your child/children being taken care of. Without us, you would have to either stay at home yourself and not have the income you need or place your child/children in an outrageously expensive daycare.
Therefore, when we/ I state that I am exhausted…I’m not just saying it to say it. Exhausted has multiple reasons. Yes I am exhausted from taking care of three kids, but I am also exhausted from dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression, and anyone who deals with all three of those knows exactly how it is. Dealing with mental illness is exhausting in itself, it drains you emotionally. I’m also a homebody and having to leave the comfort of my home every day gives me anxiety, and being away from my husband gives me anxiety. There are so many things that can make or break my day and battling my own mind and battling three toddlers is enough to drain me and cause me exhaustion.
Next time someone wants to question or make you feel like you shouldn’t be exhausted, they don’t know what really goes on in your life. Everyone’s life is different and no one should tell you if you should be exhausted or worn out. Take the time to say thank you to those babysitters out there, and of course those stay at home moms, because our job is just as important as someone else’s!