• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

One Happy House

Children's Book Author

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • The Marvelous Maker
    • The Marvelous Mud House
  • MEDIA
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Speaking
  • Family Prayer Guides
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • The Marvelous Maker
    • The Marvelous Mud House
  • MEDIA
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Speaking
  • Family Prayer Guides

When you want to quit motherhood

August 8, 2018 //  by April Graney//  Leave a Comment

This is the hardest section of the blog for me to write. I don’t want to think about the difficult times. I don’t want to dig deep and be vulnerable. I don’t want to remember, I want to forget. But I know I need to talk about the struggle, and the growth and the healing that took place. I need to share those things with you who may be going through similar trials.

I started out wanting to be the perfect mother. I was so surprised by the joy of holding my new babies in my arms, and so thrilled with the chance to cuddle and comfort and care for their needs. Having children was a joy in my life that I never anticipated or honestly strived for until it happened. We had 5 children in a little less than 8 years. It was a whirlwind of diapers, pacifiers, spankings, stepping on toys, and getting behind on the laundry. Besides the sleep deprivation, I mostly enjoyed this season.

But I started to struggle as the children got older. Surprisingly, they started talking and thinking and having their own opinions that differed from mine and each other. I discovered that my little angels were not, in fact, angels at all. They made mistakes, just like me. Unfortunately, I went through a season where I felt like a failure so often as a mom, that I just wanted to quit. Maybe you have felt the same way. It was a long difficult road for me back to embracing the joy and trials of motherhood, and there were a few things I learned that helped me find my way home.

Friendships: I realized during this season of wanting to quit, that I had been neglecting the value of friendships with other women in my life. I was so busy caring for my family, that I had little time for friendships. I needed to invest in some quality friendships with other moms who could identify with my struggles, and older women who could encourage and help me. I reached out to an acquaintance and asked for her help. She eventually has become one of my closest dear friends.

Physical Care: I went to my doctor and after some tests, found out that I was extremely anemic. No wonder I was so tired all of the time! I also realized that I needed physical activity and exercise regularly. I started out with just walking briskly for about 20 minutes every day after dinner. My husband, Tom, was home then and I could dart out the door with my headphones and have some great thinking times along the trails by our home.

Marriage: Not only did I want to quit my motherhood, but as I would dream of a life without the responsibilities of constantly caring for my children, I wasn’t even sure I would take my husband with me! I loved him, but I was sometimes resentful that he had a career and a calling outside of our home and I needed him to help me more. I needed to reset my thinking about my marriage and so I found one thing I was really thankful for about him and just focused on that every day. I began opening up to him more and began arranging babysitters for regular date nights.

Prayer: Without prayer, I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through this season of wanting to quit. I needed a strength outside myself to carry on, because I was completely depleted and burned out of my own strength. Going to the Bible and crying out to God during this time brought me closer to knowing how much He truly loves me and how much I needed Him.

I don’t know if every mom out there goes through a season of feeling like she wants to quit the incredibly stressful and demanding job of motherhood, but I’m going to guess that quite a lot of us might. Please realize that you are not alone. You can find your way back to a peaceful joy in your home and in your role as mom. I’m here to encourage you because I’ve been where you are and I know that healing can happen. You are loved, dear mother. Carry on. Don’t give up. You will find your joy again.

 

 

 

Tweet
Pin1
Share14
15 Shares

Category: When Happy is HardTag: burnout, children, depression, motherhood

Previous Post: « You are a present from God!
Next Post: Adoption »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

April Graney, Author

April Graney, Author

Footer

Join our email list

aprilgraney

Yes the roads are slick. Don't go out. But we were Yes the roads are slick. Don't go out. But we were out of milk and we had to! So, Ezra and I got all thr essentials for potentially being snowed in for several days...and gaining 5 lbs. 🤣

#onehappyhouse
Drove up for the K State game against Texas Tech y Drove up for the K State game against Texas Tech yesterday! Definitely a LOT of fun and nOiSe! Loved having dinner with Micah and 3 of his friends afterward. (No pic, sadly). Totally worth the 10 hour round trip drive. Thanks to Austin Carpenter for the incredible seats. I'm spoiled now so I'll need those seats behind the team again next time. 

#emaw #epaw #kstate #basketball #gocats #wildcats #bestgameinvented #ksu @tomgraney @micah.graney #onehappyhouse
Cute little thrift shop find today! #onehappyhou Cute little thrift shop find today! 

#onehappyhouse
Instagram post 17985892255802081 Instagram post 17985892255802081
Do you know him? Not just know about him. Do you t Do you know him? Not just know about him. Do you talk to Him? Do you seek him? Do you ask him how he wants you to live? I was reading Zephaniah with my 6th grade Bible class today. One of the verses describing those who were being judged says, "those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him." Lots of people simply go through life without ever seeking to know and understand who God is, why he made them, or how he wants them to live. I feel so blessed to know my maker intimately. I'm not always perfect in following Him, but my heart is to try. He's given me complete love and acceptance, spiritual gifts to use to help others, forgiveness when I fail, strength when I am weak. He is my reason for hope and the source of my joy.

I hope you will seek him too. Just ask. He will begin revealing himself to you. 

#themarvelousmaker #childrensbook #onehappyhouse #seekhim #Jesus #Zephaniah #christianschool #christianschoolteacher #hope #joy
Here's George at St. Paul's University in Nairobi Here's George at St. Paul's University in Nairobi Kenya! Thank you so much to everyone who gave to make this first year of school there possible! May the Lord bless you as you have been a blessing to others! His Give Send Go fund is up to $2596 of $10,000 raised! Link in bio!  #themarvelousmudhouse #Kenya #University #radiojournalism #givesendgo #childrensbook #kidsbook #bookaboutkenya #authorsofinstagram #compassion #joy #generosity #contentment #onehappyhouse
Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • MEDIA
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Speaking
  • Family Prayer Guides

Copyright © 2023 One Happy House · All Rights Reserved · Site by Design by Insight