Why can't I stop worrying and relax as a parent?
Constant stress and intrusive thoughts about a child's safety make it impossible to switch off or relax, leaving parents feeling like they are slowly losing their minds. This relentless worry prevents them from ever letting go of control or finding any downtime, even when trying to rest.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Being told by a spouse to relax and not be so strict
- 2Reading books about how minor details do not matter
- 3Trying meditation and relaxation techniques
- 4Engaging in self-talk and distractions
- 5Sending text messages or checking in directly with the child or caregivers for reassurance
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I (27F) am a single mom to my four year old daughter, and I cannot relax. Ever.”source ↗
“I try to relax sometimes, but I’ll just be sitting in bed scrolling or staring at the wall, upset that relaxing isn’t relaxing anymore, ever since I became a parent.”source ↗
“I’m just always stressed and worried about my kids and because i worry so much, my husband doesn’t have to.”source ↗
“Its so hard for me to let go and be chill.”source ↗
“I just cannot compromise on things when it comes to our kids. And i don’t know how to START giving up control because I’m about to have my third and I’m slowly going crazy.”source ↗
“My son is 2.5 years old and I don’t have an answer but came to stay I understand how you feel.”source ↗
“I feel this way too, I have an almost 2 year old and I still get like intrusive thoughts about all the ways he can get hurt.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 3Why am I losing my patience and snapping at my kids?
- 3How do you stop parents from taking over relationship decisions?