Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:42
Subject: Re:I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:It’s time for you to get hobbies and close female relationships so you can coast into empty nest without losing yourself.
This.
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:35
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:OP (and others who feel this way), I think one thing that can really help-- as the immediate PP mentioned-- is to find an activity (ideally a group one) where you are feeling engaged and valued, and you're having fun. I'm going to be posting this on Off-topic too, but I'll share below the information about an upcoming program (starting this Tuesday) with a local chorus that is a wonderful way to get out of the house and carve out some time for yourself, separate from work and family. I first checked out this group at this time of year (over a decade ago) for the holiday program, when I just needed to get away from my little kids and do something for ME, and now all this time later I'm still a member; it's one of the most important things that I do for myself. I've made great new friends, get to feel creative and to laugh and to contribute each week to something beautiful, and I am a different person than the mom and wife and worker that I am the rest of the week.
***
Celebrate the season with the Capital Accord Chorus’s free Sing for the Holidays program which runs from November 18 to December 13 in Silver Spring. Past guests have had a lot of fun joining us to bring joy to our community.
Learn a few of our favorite holiday songs and perform with us in up to three December shows if you like — no long-term commitment is required! Come sing, celebrate, and maybe find your new musical home with the Capital Accord Chorus!
We welcome women and nonbinary treble-range singers (soprano, second soprano, alto) to sing four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. We are especially looking for singers in the low alto range.
You’re invited to:
🗓️ Rehearsals: Tuesdays, November 18, 25 and December 2, from 7:30–9 p.m.
Performances: December 6, 9, and 13, followed by a chorus party!
📍 Location: Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center, 1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, near Holy Cross Hospital and the Forest Glen metro station.
Please register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkKKfU_uxeVQKWJx1pZ2pfiQyH0GDagDBMimiMVoOwtBx8_Q/viewform
For more information about us, check out our website www.capitalaccord.org as well as our Facebook and Instagram pages. If you can’t participate this season, you're still welcome to visit the chorus on a Tuesday night whenever it works for you; just check our website first to confirm that rehearsal is on as usual.
This is such a lovely thing to do—thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:24
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
wtf are you cooking two dinners?
DP here. You’ve never served 4:30 dinner and 9pm dinner? No athletes?
No one should be having dinner at 9pm. And even if you have deluded yourself into believing this is an integral part of life your middle schooler and teens are capable of making this dinner
It isn't unusual in my home for "first dinner" to be after 8:00 pm. DH is rarely home before 7:30 during the week, and my DS sometimes has activities until 8:00 pm or so. We consider it "an integral part of life" to dine together when we can, even if it's later than your rules might dictate.
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:21
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
wtf are you cooking two dinners?
DP here. You’ve never served 4:30 dinner and 9pm dinner? No athletes?
I have an athlete. I taught him to reheat leftovers and to make some basic things so that he can feed himself when he wants more than what was offered at dinner.
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:18
Subject: Re:I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
I know this sounds cliche, but it really helped me to find a hobby that I liked. I started knitting again after not doing it for many years, and it has been so rewarding. It also helps that it's a portable hobby, so all of that downtime that isn't really "my" time--waiting rooms, sports games, etc.--becomes an opportunity to work on a pair of socks or a sweater.
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:06
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
wtf are you cooking two dinners?
DP here. You’ve never served 4:30 dinner and 9pm dinner? No athletes?
No one should be having dinner at 9pm. And even if you have deluded yourself into believing this is an integral part of life your middle schooler and teens are capable of making this dinner
I'm curious if you really believe this. My teen has tech week for theatre right now and the choice is between 9pm dinner or no dinner. Since you know everything, can you please elaborate on the right way to do things?
Anonymous
11/18/2025 09:03
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It sort of feels contradictory and I don't know what to do about it.
Two busy teens in HS and a husband that works a lot. I feel like a task rabbit, constantly doing chores, errands and driving. The overstimulation makes it hard for me to try to combat my boredom because I just want a break. But then I also feel bored and lonely. It makes no sense. I just feel bleh and sort of irritable.
Can anyone relate?
Do you not work? Maybe get a part time job or something to keep yourself busy then.
What insane advice. This is what we do to women. Ofc she does work, because most moms do. But how are you getting that she needs to "keep herself busy"? Who the hell is doing the chores, errands and driving if she works more in place of those tasks? Do you think these are just things she does for fun??
Anonymous
11/17/2025 10:31
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
This is my life. Plus filling containers. Emptying containers. Hunting containers down in cars and backpacks. Washing containers. Hoping they air dried overnight because I hate drying them.
Hysterical and true
Anonymous
11/16/2025 14:54
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
I can commiserate with the containers, second dinners, driving, etc. It doesn't make you a failure as some are suggesting. Its super normal. Good suggestions for how to mix it up.
Anonymous
11/16/2025 14:05
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
This is my life. Plus filling containers. Emptying containers. Hunting containers down in cars and backpacks. Washing containers. Hoping they air dried overnight because I hate drying them.
Lol
Teenagers can and should be doing this for themselves.
Anonymous
11/16/2025 13:11
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
This is my life. Plus filling containers. Emptying containers. Hunting containers down in cars and backpacks. Washing containers. Hoping they air dried overnight because I hate drying them.
Lol
Anonymous
11/16/2025 10:32
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
Same! And go to the grocery store to buy food to prepare/make.
Anonymous
11/16/2025 10:22
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
How old are your kids?
If they are older than six, they can pour themselves their own bowl of cereal for breakfast.
If they are older than eight, they can pack their own lunches.
This. Op you need to get an activity for yourself and be a little more selfish a little less available to your family.
Right now you are teaching your children that the role of a woman in the home is martyr.
Anonymous
11/16/2025 10:20
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel like all I do is make food all day-breakfast, pack lunches, first dinners, second dinners and drive people places.
wtf are you cooking two dinners?
DP here. You’ve never served 4:30 dinner and 9pm dinner? No athletes?
No one should be having dinner at 9pm. And even if you have deluded yourself into believing this is an integral part of life your middle schooler and teens are capable of making this dinner
Anonymous
11/16/2025 10:18
Subject: I feel both overwhelmed/overstimulated and also lonely/bored at the same time
Anonymous wrote:Tweens and up in sports all eat two dinners, very common for there to be an after school dinner and a post-practice dinner. These dinners are large meals. Have you never fed a growing teen boy who does intensive sports? They eat like Michael Phelps.
Your kids aren't elite Olympic world record holding athletes. Enough with the BS toxic sport culture.