Welcome to your 20s — that magical decade where everyone expects you to “find yourself,” but no one tells you that finding yourself also comes with student debt, burnout, and at least one existential crisis before brunch. You’re technically an adult, but you still Google how to cook chicken safely. You’re old enough to have a 401(k) and young enough to cry when your DoorDash order gets canceled.

Motherhood was never meant to be a solo mission; it was built for community. Yet somehow, we’ve turned it into a competitive sport judged by invisible referees and Instagram followers. The result? Burned-out moms raising anxious kids.

So let’s rewrite the narrative: you don’t need to “do it all.” You need rest, real support, and a culture that values mothers as humans, not machines.

Because you’re not the last resort — you are the resource. And your mental health isn’t optional. It’s the foundation holding the whole thing together.

Let’s be honest—teens today aren’t just dramatic; they’re living in a 24/7 emotional escape room with no exit button. Our job isn’t to shame them for using the tools we handed them—it’s to help them set boundaries, build resilience, and reconnect to real life.

Parents today love to ask: “Was it always this hard?” Short answer: no, you’re not imagining things. Long answer: modern parenting is basically Olympic-level mental gymnastics.

Let’s start with the obvious: parental stress is sky-high. A recent Pew survey found 66% of parents say parenting is harder now than it was 20 years ago (Pew Research Center, 2023). Why? Technology, social media, school pressures, safety fears — take your pick.

So here’s the thing: everybody on TikTok is telling you to be the “main character.” Cute idea. Except somewhere between “romanticize your iced coffee” and “quit your job to travel,” young adults are quietly drowning in anxiety.

Truth #1: Burnout isn’t “just being tired”

It’s emotional, physical, mental — a full system overload. It shows up as exhaustion, guilt, and feeling disconnected.

Micro Action: Pause mid-day (yes, even for 2 minutes). Close your eyes. Breathe. Tell your brain: “I’m still here.”

Let’s be honest — sleep is the first thing to go when life gets busy. You’ve got school, sports, jobs, group chats, TikTok, Snap streaks, and maybe a parent yelling about cleaning your room. Somewhere in there, you’re supposed to “rest.” Right. The only real “me time” comes at 1 a.m., when you’re tucked under the covers and whispering sweet nothings to your For You Page. That’s not self-care; that’s what TikTok has dubbed revenge bedtime procrastination — staying up late on purpose because you feel like the rest of your day doesn’t belong to you.