Are we tired because we’re good parents ?

This thought crossed my mind this morning while my mom was “watching” my kid, and I wondered if anyone else here could relate.

When I was a child, my parents never really entertained or played with me — and they seemed fine with it. We lived on five acres, my dad was away for work three-quarters of the year, and there were three of us boys to keep each other company.

These days, it feels like a lot of parents resent parenting because we don’t have the same support systems. Many of us don’t have a village to help raise our kids — no nearby family, and often not even friends who come to visit.

Are we exhausted and sometimes frustrated with parenting because of how involved we have to be with our kids? It feels like we’re attached at the hip, and if we try to step back even a little, there’s always a judgmental neighbor ready to criticize.

For example, as I write this, my two-year-old is hanging off my neck while watching Cars.

I wonder if we wouldn’t feel this way if we were less involved, like our parents were. Maybe we feel this way because we care so much and are trying hard to do right by our kids.

What are your thoughts?