She's Not Thankful

I saw this Facebook post yesterday on Thanksgiving.

Being a mother is literally the most unfulfilling, unrewarding job in the world.  I’m literally the maid, the cook, the Uber, the ATM, the tutor, the therapist, the god damn alarm clock - Zero stars.  Do not recommend.

I feel so sad for this mom who feels all alone where being a parent means doing everything for her kids and doing it all by herself.  

I, too, felt overwhelmed from time to time when my kids were young.  That was a sign that it was time to ask for help. 

I don’t mean hire a maid, a cook, a driver, or a personal asistant for my kids (although that sounds really nice). 

It means calling on those very same kids to pitch in.  They can be expected to clean, cook, set the table, do their homework and get out of bed when you tell them.

The overwhelm was also a sign to ask for help from 

a spouse, 

a sibling, 

a grandparent, 

a friend, 

a parent advisor.

Be specific.  

It’s not, “I need help.” 

It’s “Can we arrange a carpool to the event?” 

It’s not, “I need help with dinner.”

It’s  “Will you chop the vegetables?”

It’s not, “I need help getting my kids to listen.”  

It’s “Show me the steps I can take to create a team where everyone in the family pitches in.”

On a day designed to reflect on family and all we have to be thankful for, this post showed me that feeling thankful may mean first venting about how hard life can be…and then taking action to make it better.