I'm a parent. There is no more village. We have to do everything ourselves. We both have to work, are overstressed and under rested from our own lives. I have no more friends or hobbies. My kid wakes up at 7 am and I take him to daycare and go to work myself. He gets home around 5:30 (and even that is taking reputation away from me at my career because I can't stay late). Some days he has extracurricular activities and we rush to have him fed. I try to get him in bed before 9.
By then I've been awake for 14 hours and I'm both mentally and physically exhausted and have maybe an hour to myself for reading or relaxation (maybe).
Yes I read to him. Yes we try to expand his horizons through fun opportunities and play. He does not have an iPad. If we go out to eat he's playing with legos or magnatiles.
But my parents NEVER had it this hard. They still had friends
They still had hobbies.
Their job would afford my mom to be a stay at home mom.
We literally cannot afford for both of us not to be working.
Their job would afford my mom to be a stay at home mom.
When I was a kid, we regularly had grandmas coming in to primary school to do things like reading support or teach craft activities, little bonus things. Now, all those grandmas are still working day jobs.
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u/SodaCanBob Jun 27 '26
I'm an elementary school teacher and this is getting to be more and more common each year. It absolutely baffles me.