I’m a mother, a wife, and a business owner, and I’m exhausted.

Photo by Sydney Sims on Unsplash

This isn’t your typical “how-to” article. If you’re seeking a glossy portrayal of perfection, please keep scrolling.

I’ve been fed all the clichés: “It takes a village to raise a child,” “sleep when the baby sleeps,” and “rest for 40 days postpartum.”

I’ve even read those picture-perfect, rose-tinted books that left me feeling inadequate. I’ve devoured content that claimed saying “You’re so clever” to my child would lead to their downfall, laziness, and depression.

And so, here I stand — a mother to a schoolgirl and a toddler with a penchant for biting (a talent that often leads to public showdowns). No village to support me, but plenty of dear friends juggling their own kids. A chronic health condition. A loving husband who’s utterly baffled about how to lend a hand. A thriving business that both gives and takes energy.

And I’m tired.

Not the kind of tired that a shower and a coffee can cure. It’s a mysterious, otherworldly exhaustion. My mind can’t keep pace with the world around me, and words often escape me. My legs feel like they’re dragging sandbags, and I battle daily bouts of starvation and nausea. Even a third coffee can’t magic away the fatigue, and I’ll still doze off while my toddler doodles on my face.