Love After Kids
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • I'm #2... and that's OK, most of the time
    • 7 Myths of Successful Relationships
    • 10 Easy Couples Therapy Exercises
    • Get Our Best Tips
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Relationship Reboot eBook

Motherhood: The Demands Never End

10/27/2017

 
Motherhood: The demands never end
My wife has been studying for the clinical social work exam. There are 170 questions and the exam takes 3-4 hours to complete.

She came to me this morning feeling frustrated because she can never take a long enough stretch to complete an entire practice exam without being interrupted. She is constantly having to start and stop and deal with demands and distractions from the kids.
I didn't have time to talk with her at that point because my next appointment was calling me. She left to study at a cafe, which helps with the distractions from the kids, but it's noisy and has other distractions.

When I finished my session, I called her and apologized for not being able to talk earlier. Then I asked her what I can do to support her with her schedule. 

This is one of the many reasons why being a mom is such hard work. It's a job that never ends. There are always demands and distractions, which makes it extremely difficult to concentrate.

I get to lock myself in my room and work without being interrupted. Well, that's not entirely true. I hear the kids scream in the hall and the dog going crazy when the doorbell rings, but I don't have to get up twenty times during a session to pour a glass of water, wipe a butt, or make a snack.

Validating, empathizing and offering help goes a long way. It made Deb feel much better. Of course, there have been many times when I have dropped the ball. I always feel it is important to say this when I am writing about something positive that I have done, because I have made so many mistakes over the past 15 years and will continue to make mistakes. That said, it felt good to have been able to step back and see and hear her when she needed it. It really doesn't take much to make a difference.
Click here for updates and new posts
​David B. Younger, Ph.D is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice, and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 12-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old toy poodle.

    Archives

    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016

    Categories

    All
    Communication
    Parenting
    Relationships

    RSS Feed

STAY CONNECTED
Click here to receive the latest updates.
We welcome your feedback and questions. Click here to contact us.

Home

About

Blog

Contact

Resources

RElationship reboot ebook

Love After Kids © 2016. All Rights Reserved.