Boost Your Support Structure

Are You Forever Feeling Exhausted And Stretched In All Directions Because You Do Everything Yourself?

- Nolwazi Dhlamini

As a woman in the modern world, you may find yourself trying to play the role of superwoman: aiming to strike the perfect balance between taking care of your family and running a ‘successful’ household, all while flourishing in your career and maintaining a vibrant social life and healthy relationship with the gym. This is all well and good, except most of the time you probably do this alone, even with a partner in the house or a close family network. Constant pressure and exhaustion could lead to burnout. Port Elizabeth-based clinical psychologist Christine Slabbert advises that social support can assist in easing some of the everyday struggles parents face, and serves to make the process of coping and asking for help easier.

Why don’t moms ask for help?

Christine says there are a number of reasons why moms avoid asking for help, and they differ from woman to woman.

1 Social perception that everyone else is coping without assistance: ‘Movies, advertisements, school playground conversations and even social media platforms often only highlight the positive aspects of parenting. This contributes towards a view that other parents are able to manage on their own,’ says Christine.

2 Fear of failure or inadequacy: As a mom, you may feel uncomfortable sharing your daily struggles with others because you fear judgement. ‘This leads to a distorted perception that “good parents” have children who are always happy, achieving at school, and under control, which makes it more difficult for those who are struggling to ask for help.’