One working mom wonders how parents get everything done, including relax, on the weekends when the work week is so exhausting and hectic.
Hannah (@heyhannah19) posted a TikTok video asking for help talking about her Saturday routine, feeling frustrated that she never gets enough of it (i.e. cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc.) and then feeling guilty for not doing it right .
“I desperately need help from 9-to-5 moms. I work Monday through Friday, 9-5. When I wake up, I can’t be more grateful and happy that today is Saturday. It’s the weekend. We I can relax now because I’m completely overwhelmed by the state of our fucking house,” she admitted.
“Like every Saturday morning, it feels like Groundhog Day. Dishes need to be done. Floors need to be mopped. Bathrooms need to be cleaned. Clothes need to be washed. Groceries need to be ordered. We start every Saturday morning with gymnastics. I have some Something to try and shoot because I’m still trying to do that and we have things to deal with.
She wondered if it was possible to have a relaxing weekend with so much to do.
“We really want to relax, take some time, and not do anything special. Every Saturday morning, it’s Groundhog Day, how on earth are we going to get this done? I’m annoyed because I don’t have a better system for that. Do this. So, like how are you doing? Because I know this is not normal.
I know Hannah thinks this is “not normal,” but I really want to hold her hand and say this completely Ordinary!
The work week is filled with work (duh) and school and then after school practices and rehearsals and all that stuff. We are exhausted at the end of the day and the last thing any parent wants to do is fold laundry or wash dishes. So, we postponed it until the weekend, when we could really take a break.
But if we Do Take a break, and then what? The dishes are piled high. The wet clothes in the washing machine start to smell musty. We are paralyzed by anxiety and stress.
“I don’t want to wake up every Saturday morning with gunshots going off and tearing this house apart… Like I don’t want to live like that. My family doesn’t want to live like that. But every Saturday morning I’m overwhelmed. .and it could make me, I could literally start crying. So if you have any advice that you can share with me on how to make your weekend more seamless and feel more relaxed, you know, just less urgent. I’m really open to it. Every suggestion you have to make your life easier and less stressful, please tell me all,” she concluded.
In Hannah’s comments section, TikTok users offered some sound advice to the overwhelmed mom, while others tried to make her feel less alone.
“House cleaning happens every other Friday. Neither my husband nor I want to spend time cleaning, so we prioritize the cleaners.
Another suggested: “My new goal is just to make the house functional, not clean. Adjust my standards to suit reality.”
“I’m telling you, the closing time is different every day. I spend 30 to 1 hour wallowing while everyone goes to bed,” wrote another.
Another wrote: “Yeah. Weekends are rarely a real break for me. I just switch from paid work to housework. No advice, just to let you know you’re not alone.
One user suggested getting dads involved, writing: “My husband takes the kids out for breakfast. I’ll sleep in and listen to podcasts while I clean and organize.
