I hesitated to say this out loud for a long time. Because the second you admit that being a stay-at-home mom is hard, someone wants to remind you that “you’re so lucky” or “at least you get to be with your kids all day.” And while I know that’s true, and I am deeply grateful, it doesn’t make the hard parts disappear.
Being a stay-at-home mom is hard. It’s beautiful, yes. But it’s also long days filled with dishes, diapers, sibling squabbles, and a never-ending to-do list that rarely includes a moment for yourself. It’s pouring yourself out all day and still feeling like maybe you didn’t do enough, or that you’re invisible while doing it.
The Loneliness No One Talks About
Some days, I realize I haven’t spoken to another adult in hours, or even days, aside from my spouse. I crave real conversations. Not just ones about snacks or screen time or what color cup someone must have to avoid a meltdown. I miss deep, adult conversations that make me feel like me, not just “Mom.”
The loneliness sneaks in when I’m folding laundry again while listening to another podcast just to hear adult voices. It settles in when I’m scrolling social media and wondering if anyone else feels this quiet ache.
Feeling Judged for Admitting It
When I’ve opened up and said that being a stay-at-home mom is hard, sometimes I’ve been met with blank stares, or worse, judgment. People think I’m complaining or ungrateful. But that’s not it. I love my children with everything in me. But love doesn’t erase the exhaustion or the mental load or the loneliness.
I share this because maybe you feel it too. Maybe you’re carrying that same quiet ache and wondering if you’re the only one. You’re not. And saying this season is hard doesn’t make you a bad mom, it makes you an honest one.
Let’s stop pretending we have to smile through the struggle. Let’s make space to say the truth: being a stay-at-home mom is hard, and sometimes it’s lonely. But we don’t have to carry it alone.
Need more encouragement? Read about The Value of a Stay-at-Home Parent.
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