How Do Stay-at-Home Moms Avoid Burnout?

K.-
I know your frustration. I, too, am a SAHM of two (under two) and it can be trying. My husband doesn't give me much relief because he works a lot so that I can stay at home and raise our kids. However, once the kids go to bed, I have gone on a quick bike ride or walked to the store and just being alone outside of the house is really an invigorating feeling. My husband gets a quiet house to relax in and I get some recharge time.
Also, getting together with friends as often as you can is great. Whether it's old friends or new ones in a local mommy group, adult conversation is needed. I love going out and not have to be looking around to see what mischief my 23 month old is getting into.
Try to do something once a week. Prioritize it. We have a tendency to put our needs on the back burner, but a break allows us to be better mothers. Good luck.

What you are an RN? And you are not working at all? I work 12 hours a week in 4 hour shifts. This gives my husband a chance to do his own parenting with our son. It gives me a chance to earn some money and to maintain my work ties. If you truly don't want to work at all. God bless you. But as nurses we can make our own schedules. I feel that it is important to keep your toe in nursing to maintain your license.

I know it is difficult. You are constantly thinking about and caring for others and only get time to yourself if everyone else is taken care of, which is never.I joined a MOMS club a couple years ago and that helped tremendously. It is a club specifically for stay at home moms or moms that work part time. It offers playgroups, outings, monthly meetings, newsletters, and support from other mothers in your area. I think the website maybe www.momsclub.org. On the website you can enter your address or zip code to find out if there is a chapter near you. If this is not quite your style, think of other ways to get out of the house and around other adults(mothers mostly). YMCA's offer daycare at most of their facilities while you take an aerobics class or yoga. The public library has story times every week, free to the public, and they are full of moms that stay home. The library website for Baltimore County is www.bcpl.info to look at the times and locations. The library also has copies of Baltimore's Child and the Kidstreet News which lists ideas for outings in their calenders. You may also want to consider taking a class at the local community college. CCBC has daycare at a lot of their campuses. A lot of moms feel the way you do!!! Exhausted, unappreciated, and burned out. They are out there and talking with them can help you feel better and give you ideas. Maybe you will even find another babysitter through their recommendations. Good luck, K.!!

You need to sit with hubby and explain to hom that if the day comes that mami won't feel good then nobody else won't feel good either. because everything is done by mami. therefore mami needs a break on weekens. if you can handle everything on daily basis he will survive for a few hours on the weekends. i say this, though i stayed home with my twin girls until they were 2. from time to time i would tell the same thing to my husband and i would get the 'well i work too the whole week so i need a break also on weekends.' so it wasn't going anywhere. then i joined a mom's group who did lots of playdates at the park or what not but also got together for moms night out once a month. i am not a drinker or anything of the sort but i started going with them to just break away and have adult conversations. i swear it would make me feel so much better. also on weekends after putting the girls down for a nap, i'd put shoes on and head to mall. little warning to hubby. i needed it and i realized i needed to give myself that break
good luck
vlora

I joined the MAC! I signed my son up for the Kid's Club, drop him off and do whatever I want within the club for up to 2 hours! Sometimes I sit in the cafe and eat alone, which is where I am now, or I'll workout or swim. The time away from him is invaluable. The Kid's Club staff is really nice and always seem to be having fun with the kids. When we have our 2nd in April, he or she will be going there too.

That's how I avoid burnout and my husband also works 60+ hours a week so it's all on me.