End of school burn-out: Parents need summer break, too

Author Jen Hatmaker wrote a blog post about parent burn-out that both Dori and news anchor Ursula Reutin can relate to. Hatmaker is calling herself the worst end-of-school mom ever.

Parents these days are expected to be much more involved in their child’s school lives – and that means parents get just as burned out as kids at the end of the school year.

“You know the Beginning of School Enthusiasm? When the pencils are fresh and the notebooks are new and the kids’ backpacks don’t look like they lined the den of a pack of filthy hyenas?” Hatmaker wrote. “We are limping, limping across the finish line, folks. I tapped out somewhere in April and at this point, it is a miracle my kids are still even going to school.”

Dori’s youngest daughter is graduating from high school this week. He’s spent the winter and spring coaching her varsity basketball team, going to tennis games, and more.

“I don’t remember my mom having to do everything: the costumes, and baking every other week,” said Dori.

At some point, you just have to realize that you can’t do it all. Between end of year parties, teacher’s gifts, and finals, something’s got to give. For your sanity.

“I was helping one of my kids with an end-of-the-year project yesterday and I was thinking the only reason I have to help him now is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done,” said Ursula. “I finally told my son: who cares if you get a B?”