First up, let’s take a look at what we really mean when we talk about parenting burnout. We are all busy, tired and running on fumes much of the time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re burnt out.

“Parenting burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical depletion that develops when the ongoing demands of caring exceed the internal and external resources you have to meet them,” says consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritz Birah. “Burnout isn’t about doing parenting ‘wrong’; it’s about being asked to do too much, for too long, without enough support or permission to be human.”

Not sure if you’re burnt out or simply busy? There are a few warning signs to watch out for, according to the experts.

“Parental burnout is more than feeling run-down after a hard week,” says children and parent confidence coach Natalie Costa. “It’s a chronic state of stress that builds up over time when the demands of parenting feel relentless and there’s very little opportunity to recover. It can feel like you’re constantly running on empty or trying to hold everything together. You might still be functioning – getting everyone fed, dressed, to school, to work – but inside, you’re absolutely depleted.”

However, because much of parenting requires pushing on through tricky times, parental burnout can creep up insidiously.

“Parental burnout is a progressive condition, so it’s not always easy to notice when you’re reaching the tipping point,” says Costa. “Many parents normalise these signs and simply carry on.”

Some common signs include:

Constant fatigue, even after sleep
Irritability or snapping over small things that wouldn’t have bothered you before
Feeling emotionally flat, disconnected or numb
Loss of enjoyment in things you used to like, including time with your children
Frequent headaches, muscle tension or getting ill more often
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Feeling like a terrible parent despite trying your best
Guilt, shame or a sense of never doing enough
Emotional outbursts: crying over something small or feeling disproportionately overwhelmed

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