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[quote=Anonymous]OP, I think I know how you feel.

I love my DD more than anything, she's the best thing that ever happened to me, I love spending time with her and am so grateful she's in my life -- I've grown and become a much better person than I ever would have been otherwise.

But I don't enjoy parenting. Getting us both ready and out the door, planning meals, making sure she has clothes that fit (they grow so fast), playing kid games, answering the endless questions (though I am so proud that she is so inquisitive).... these are all things that require a fair amount effort for me, they are things I don't naturally enjoy. I could definitely do without the whining and screaming and meltdowns. Life would be much easier if I could just eat pasta and salads everyday and read, watch movies, have time for myself, etc. I'm a single parent as well, no help from bio-dad or family, so I seldom get a break unless I stay up late and trade sleep for it.

I don't think it's a bad thing to admit that I don't like many aspects of parenting, I actually find it helpful to do so; I have learned to be patient with myself, not judge how I feel, and recognize that not every feeling needs an active response -- just because I don't like doing things doesn't mean I stop doing them, I just do them recognizing that they're not my favorites in parenting. I also recognize that time flies and DD changes seemingly every day, so I won't be doing these things forever.

Much of parenting is draining and thankless; I'm often overwhelmed and at my wit's end. I think it's just how things are for most of us. I try as much as possible to monitor my emotional state and keep it balanced; for me, as a parent, being happy is truly a choice I make every day, regardless of whatever may be going on. I definitely have days when the only reason I'm happy is that I absolutely refuse to be otherwise -- I grit my teeth and dig my heels in and I'm happy, damnit!!

Don't feel badly about not enjoying parenting. I think most of us would admit that, while we love our kids and wouldn't trade our lives, the actual parenting is 80-90% drudgery.

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