I know this sounds awful, but sometimes I get in a phase where I don’t enjoy being a mom. I of course still love my kids, but I just don’t want to be home with them all the time by myself. It’s a lot of work to be a stay at home parent and I don’t know how people manage their home when both parents work. Here are some things I do when I don’t like being a parent.
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Fake it ’til you make it
I know it’s a cliche, but when you’re struggling to enjoy being a parent, just pretend you’re the best parent. Keep on keeping on. Do all the tasks even when you don’t feel like it.
Be intentional
Even if you feel like the worst parent, taking small steps each day to be intentional can help you connect with your kids and even have fun.
Have fun
Make an effort to do something fun, unexpected or even crazy with your kids. Let them do something you wouldn’t normally let them do, or that they’ve been asking to do for a while.
Connect
Spend a few minutes with each of your kids telling them each something you love about them and ask them what you can do with them, then do that thing with them! Usually it’s a simple thing that takes little to no effort.
Be silly
Say something completely ridiculous to your kids and listen to them giggle. Ask your kid if their foot is where they eat, and then try to feed their foot a banana. Or ask them if they are an insect or an animal. Their squeals of delight can increase your desire and joy as a parent.
Change your tone
This kind of goes along with being silly, but if you change the tone you speak it can connect you to your kids and spark joy in your home. For example you can talk like a robot, or use a grumpy voice to tell them that they can do something, or a sing song voice to tell them they cannot do something.
Read books
Find a kid book you enjoy, sit down and start reading. Your kids are likely to gravitate to you and will get into your lap and the book. It almost takes the pressure off of parenting to read books to your kids.
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When you don’t feel like being a parent, it takes a lot more work and intentionality to connect and be present with your children, but in the end it is so worth it.
