Why Joking About Parenting Load Isn’t Funny
So often, I hear parents joke:
“It’s like I have another child to look after—my partner.”
People laugh. It gets a reaction. But honestly?
It’s not funny.
If you’re serious about thriving as a parent in today’s world, it’s time to stop laughing off something that is actually weighing you down.
The Hidden Load That’s Breaking Families
I’ve worked with many clients in this exact situation. Here’s what it can look like:
A partner comes home and expects dinner to be ready
They retreat into their own space—even when the kids are desperate for connection
They wait to be told what needs doing (What’s for dinner? Which child needs a lift?)
They rarely plan or organise anything—leaving school fees, family logistics, and bills to you
Or they criticise you when you ask for help or try to involve them
In some families, there’s also the weight of cultural expectations or family traditions. You do what’s always been done, even when it no longer works.
A one-off? Sure, that’s life.
But when it’s a pattern, it becomes what we call the mental load.
What Is Mental Load—And Why Should You Care?
Mental load isn’t new. But in our modern world—where most parents are juggling full-time work, side hustles, school demands, and family life at unprecedented speed—the load is becoming unsustainable.
We now know:
🧠 1 in 3 mums and
🧠 1 in 3 dads
report that their mental health is suffering from the strain of managing family and work.
This is serious.
And when people laugh about “having another child to manage”... it’s often just a cover for how exhausted and overwhelmed they really feel.
Lead Yourself Out of the Load
If you’ve caught yourself saying:
“They’ll never change.”
“It’s just the way it is.”
Then I want to gently challenge you to consider:
What if that’s not true?
What if your wellbeing—and your child’s—depend on you questioning the dynamic?
When you bring leadership into your family life, here’s what can change:
✨ Your energy improves
✨ The mental clutter reduces
✨ Your presence with your child increases
✨ You model teamwork, balance and mutual respect
Even if you and your partner live in different homes, your child will still benefit from seeing the load shared more equally.
Because here’s the truth:
Children shape their beliefs about the world based on how present you are with them.
And if your mind is overburdened, it’s hard to truly show up.
It’s Time to Rebalance
Yes, shifting the dynamic might feel uncomfortable at first.
But so is being the only one holding it all together.
What’s heavier—a single difficult conversation, or the weight of ongoing mental and emotional burnout?
You don’t have to carry the whole load.
And you don’t have to accept the current dynamic as your forever.
You can lead your family, no matter how things started.
You can choose a new way—for yourself, your partner, and your kids.
Want help shifting the mental load and creating a more equal parenting partnership?
Inside the Stressed to Best Parent Method, you’ll learn how to apply conscious leadership to your family life—so you can stop surviving and start thriving.
