I was sent a press release about the 20 most stressful things about parenthood that included; the nightly teeth-cleaning battle, the bedtime routine and the dreaded school run.
A poll of 2,000 parents found the average mum and dad spend almost two hours a day feeling stressed, with trying to keep the house tidy the most common cause. Others feel the strain at bath time, while trying to get children to behave in public and shopping for new clothes with the youngsters in tow. Well what about the teenage years? Small kids, small worries. Big kids, BIG WORRIES.
Top 20 most stressful things about parenthood (little kids)
1. Keeping the house tidy and the chores up to date
2. Getting the children ready and out of the door in time for school
3. Getting back into a school/morning routine after the school holidays
4. Getting children to do their homework/reading
5. The bedtime routine
6. Getting children to eat certain foods
7. Getting children to clean their teeth
8. Making sure my children are well behaved in public
9. Getting back into a school/morning routine after the school holidays
10. Getting children out of bed in the mornings
11. Meal times
12. The school run
13. Entertaining children on a rainy day
14. Remembering everything they need for school
15. Shopping for new clothes
16. The back to school period
17. Getting children to sleep through the night
18. Getting children to eat their breakfast
19. Juggling your children’s different after school/weekend clubs schedule
20. Getting children dressed in the mornings
Well I agree with all of the above, but what about the most stressful things about being a parent of teenagers? I need to write another top 20 list and will wait for the study to come out on them…here are my suggestions:-
Top 20 most stressful things about parenthood (big kids)
1. Trying to wake them up at some point in the afternoon when they are dead to the world
2. Keeping the house tidy (forget it)
3. Hoping they don’t die or kill anyone else in a car crash once they’ve passed their test
4. Hoping they come back alive from a night out
5. Hoping they don’t choke on their own vomit after a night of heavy drinking
6. Hoping they don’t do something they regret after a night of heavy drinking
7. Hoping they don’t get involved in drugs
8. Hoping they are happy
9. Hoping they don’t lose all their friends at a festival and wander around alone for three days
10. Hoping they don’t get an eating disorder
11. Hoping they have some friends
12. Hoping they turn into decent adults
13. Hoping they don’t die in a plane or abroad when they’re drunk with friends and attempting to jump off balconies etc
14. Hoping my children like me
15. Hoping I like my children
16. Hoping my neighbours don’t hate me because of all the loud late night parties
17. Hoping I don’t have to spend any more money on them this summer
18. Dealing with the fact that the fridge is always empty no matter how full it is
19. Hoping they work hard and get through to the next stage of life
20. Hoping they live long, wonderful, happy lives and that I don’t die of worry and exhaustion before they make it to proper proper adulthood
You might also like
2 Comments
Thanks for this ace post L. Really resonated as my boys are now 18 and 20!!xx
I honestly think those ages are almost the most stressful of all….Lx