Thank you for the kind advice. This may be a menopause thing. I just don't know how I am going to parent these kids and get them to be happy adults when I am so unhappy. I do wish there was more information on parenting in today's world and purely spoken about the truly 24/7 commitment required. If someone had plainly said, you will be too tired to ever floss you teeth again! As for the possibility of work, I am still in preschool (half day stage), just barely getting the errands/laundry/cleaning complete when he is in school. My husband's job is too much travel for me to consider what stress it would place on him if I had a work obligation to meet. I would have never occurred to me at my being a SAHM was anything other than a huge blessing. My hat really goes off to the moms who work and juggle the demands of parenting. They must never sleep!

Anonymous wrote:Can you elaborate? I am a SAHM and I feel like I can't breathe with my elementary and preschool children. At least you do this for a living, I don't understand how to gain joy out of this job. I wish I could go back to work but my profession doesn't pay enough to afford childcare. How do you do it? I am a loser.

You are NOT a loser. Many people cannot do the 24/7 parent thing, even with their own kids. I bet you love them, but children are still little soul suckers, in a sweet way.

I am confused though. If your children are school aged, do they go to school? If they do, why don't you pick up a job that works with the kids school schedule?

Can you elaborate? I am a SAHM and I feel like I can't breathe with my elementary and preschool children. At least you do this for a living, I don't understand how to gain joy out of this job. I wish I could go back to work but my profession doesn't pay enough to afford childcare. How do you do it? I am a loser.

Oh boy do I agree!! I tried taking on a part-time babysitting job caring for two elementary school age kids on top of my nanny job and I just couldn't do it! I do best caring for infants-toddlers.

I agree. I took a job with school aged kids after an infant on fell through and I was desperate. Now I regret it. I need to work with babies again.

You are so right OP.

I just love looking after my little charge. He just turned 4 months! Hopefully I'll be retired by the time he's a teen

are you going to quit?

i feel you OP. i just quit a job with an elementary child. his parents are crushed! i've got a few interviews lined up working with infants. you just have to hang in there.

Supervising elementary and middle school children is completely soul-crushing. I need a job with an infant pronto!