What's REALLY Stressing Moms Out

Farah Miller
Updated

We asked 25 - 47-year-old and 57 - 66-year-old moms what’s stressing –- or stressed -– them out and whether they felt any of the blame, shame, guilt, and judgment that seem to be almost status quo for women with children. Do moms really think they have it all? Did the previous generation have the same concerns about work/life balance, keeping up with other moms, and having clean homes? The survey results may surprise you.

Join the conversation! Finish the sentence "Don't judge me because _______." and tweet@HuffPostParentswith#nojudgmentday.

Gimme A Break

The pressure to be perfect is real: At one point or another, 91 percent of moms ages 25-47 say they’ve felt like they couldn’t ask for help or admit they needed a break, with 10 percent saying this happens an extreme amount.
The pressure to be perfect is real: At one point or another, 91 percent of moms ages 25-47 say they’ve felt like they couldn’t ask for help or admit they needed a break, with 10 percent saying this happens an extreme amount.

Good Housekeeping

Still, the vast majority (92 percent) of moms ages 25-47 have felt anxious about having people over because the house isn’t as clean as they’d like with 19 percent saying they experience an extreme amount of anxiety.
Still, the vast majority (92 percent) of moms ages 25-47 have felt anxious about having people over because the house isn’t as clean as they’d like with 19 percent saying they experience an extreme amount of anxiety.

Their Own Biggest Critics

When asked where the most parent judgment is coming from, most moms answered “themselves.”
When asked where the most parent judgment is coming from, most moms answered “themselves.”

Working On Their Fitness

Almost all also feel pressure to exercise or be in better shape. 84 percent of women ages 25-47 say they’ve worried that they’ve let themselves go compared to other moms.
Almost all also feel pressure to exercise or be in better shape. 84 percent of women ages 25-47 say they’ve worried that they’ve let themselves go compared to other moms.

This Woman's Work

Work is not the touchy subject it’s made out to be: Most women feel confident in how dedicated they are to work (65 percent of young moms and 66 percent of older moms), and most don’t question their personal work decisions either (73 percent of young moms and 68 percent of older moms).
Work is not the touchy subject it’s made out to be: Most women feel confident in how dedicated they are to work (65 percent of young moms and 66 percent of older moms), and most don’t question their personal work decisions either (73 percent of young moms and 68 percent of older moms).

Guess What?

Moms are happy being moms: Most have rarely or never been jealous of the freedom their non-parent friends have, and they don’t question their parenting styles.
Moms are happy being moms: Most have rarely or never been jealous of the freedom their non-parent friends have, and they don’t question their parenting styles.

This post originally appeared on Redbook.comSurvey data collected from 2,085 mothers ages 25-66 usingSurveyMonkey Audience.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.