The Mental And Emotional State Of Parents In 3 Words Or Fewer

Kate Auletta
·Senior Editor, HuffPost Culture + Parenting
Updated ·1 min read

It’s safe to say we’ve all had a year from hell. Parents, in particular, have had it rough. If we’ve been lucky, we’ve kept our children alive and safe during a supremely trying time, but our mental health has suffered as a result. Others, of course, have dealt with much, much worse.

It’s no secret, then, that parents across the country (and the world, really) are fried. So we asked our Facebook community to explain their current mental and emotional state in three words or fewer.

Here’s what they had to say.

Surviving not thriving
Decision fatigued, exhausted
tired. bored.
muddling through
grateful, proud, broken
anxious, exhausted, frustrated
”just. keep. swimming”
tired, hopeful, grateful
Hopeful cautious drained
Done. Just done.
Making it work.
losing my mind
Frustrated, exhausted and done
Exhausted, disappointed, drained.
extra crispy
Exhausted. Heartbroken. Hopeful.
Frazzled, tired, grateful
Drained.
survival mode
overwhelmed and responsible
emotionally bankrupt
tired, sad, hopeful
Tired. Grateful. Hopeful.
Tired, broke, bored

(Photo: Illustration by Franziska Barczyk for HuffPost)
(Photo: Illustration by Franziska Barczyk for HuffPost)

Exhausted. Cautiously optimistic
Mentally fragile...physically drained and getting a covid divorce.
Hopeful. Stronger. Proud.
Burned out. Hopeful.
Tired, anxious, depressed
Exhausted but hopeful
Stressed, tired, hopeful
Feeling more connected
Stressed but blessed
Frustrated. Grateful. Mixed.
NEED A VACATION
Cabin fever, exhaustion.
Sh*t show ringmaster
Humble, grateful, hopeful
Brittle, stabby, thankful
Grateful, loved, fortunate
Drained. Emotional. Protective
Isolated, inadequate, and unbalanced.
Exhausted, mentally fried, frustrated
All health critical

Related...

The Emotional Weirdness Of Parenting As The World Slowly Opens Up Again

New Report Shows Just How Much American Parents Are Flailing Right Now

2020 Was Relentless For Parents. In 2021, It's Time To Put Ourselves First.

It's OK If Your Kid Doesn't Learn To Read This Year

Moms Have Held Everything Together This Past Year, Except Their Friendships

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.