Parenting Challenges and Mental Health

Indicated further on into her travels, "I am completely

overwhelmed trying to take care of the kids. I'm drowning every day.

I feel guilty that I'm spending my family's money and not making any.

I feel like I spend way too much." She wrote that, right?

Correct.

"I'm tired of... I'm terrified of Callen getting sick.

He's a sick baby. A sick baby is miserable.

He's sick now with a double ear infection, clearly has a bellyache.

It's miserable. I feel like the other kids

are gonna get him sick all winter long."

She wrote that, right?

Correct.

"I always feel strongly against sleep training.

I feel like it's abusive to let the baby cry and not respond,

but I made the decision. I did it with Cal. It

is way too much crying.

It's incredibly stressful." She wrote that, right?

Correct.

"He's okay. He will be okay. It's not harmful in any way.

The doctor said it was okay. Plenty of people sleep train their kids at

that

age. It's necessary as a third child." Is what she wrote, right?

Correct.

"I feel cret- incredibly sad and guilty about not breastfeeding

anymore.

That was the one thing I could do to help his immune system, and I can tell he

really doesn't like the formula. I'm very sad about this.

I know at this time it's what I needed to do for my mental health." She

wrote that, right?

Correct.

And then the st- the statement started getting smaller

and smaller as time went

by. Uh, one occasion, "It's like I'm desperate to get a mental

break

from taking care of everyone. My mind is trying to make something physically

wrong with me. My mind never shuts off.

It's constantly thinking of the next thing someone needs.

I can't shut it off. I desperately want to go back to work,

but now I don't

know how I'm gonna function and it worries me." Wrote that,

right?

Correct.

There were two consecutive or two pages that were blank

that she didn't even

write on, and then on the third entry, affirmations.

She wrote affirmations. On November twenty-second of two thousand

twenty-two, "I am calm.

I will remain calm today. There is nothing that needs to be

on my mind. The weight is lifted from my mind.

I will sleep tonight." She wrote that, right?

Correct.

Continuing on into November. "I slept well last night.

I will sleep again tonight. Today will be a great day.

I will go back to work on Sunday. I will thrive.

I can feel like myself again." That was November twenty-third she wrote that,

right?

I believe that's the day, yes.

Gratitude. "I'm grateful for Sue, who's always listening." That'd be

your mother-in-law. You knew that, right?

Yes.

"Sue. I'm grateful to Sue for always listening

and trying her best to help me.

Kids are sleeping great for Pat. Pat is handling nighttime stuff.

Julie for making a plan for me.

A big thing is I feel disconnected with myself, time,

reality. I think going back to work will help with

that." She wrote

that, right?