That’s the best way I can describe it. Just neverending. Which sounds obvious but the actual experience of always having to parent, phew…
I’m not having the best day today. He’s on summer break and hanging with me all day. We did okay yesterday but today it was just a domino of me feeling disappointed in myself that the house is always a mess and probably a level beyond that, like there’s too much stuff to fit. But my own level of non-cleanliness has rubbed off on my kid cause there’s no proper place to put his stuff. So I started cleaning then asked him to do some small tasks but I was feeling resentful for how he seems to just drop things wherever. I get it, you also got to teach them how to clean up and implement chores etc. and thus adds to the relentless grind of having to have these long term parenting plans but also try to be present in the moment and enjoy things and somehow have endless stores of patience. Today I definitely haven’t. I’ve lost my shit and yelled and just let things domino out of control into a terrible grouchiness. I know some days suck and we get up and try again. Just wanted to get it out I guess. No advice needed. Just ranting to rant.
It’s been a single generation, as I remember it. At least if you were born in the 80s/early 90s.
The average age to have a first child has skyrocketed and, particularly in some parts of the world, the idea of an extended family is no longer a thing. The support network has frayed a TON and the level of demand on parents has gone up at the same time.
And nobody seems to acknowledge it, honestly. At least outside bad faith fascistoid tradwife peddlers. But this isn’t about traditional gender roles, it’s about telling all parents that they need to constantly monitor their kids for two decades and simultaneously cutting them off from any source of help during that period (unless they’re filthy rich and can pay for dedicated labor to replace that support).
It’s not practical at all.
No wonder no one’s having kids