Overstimulated Mom. Mom Rage. Sensory Overload. This happens when your brain is trying to handle more things than your five senses can process at one time.
You are not a bad mom. Nor are you alone in this. Each of us have a limit. And that amount is different for each person. Taking a break is reasonable when overstimulated. After reading articles about being overstimulated, I found one that gave me some ideas to try.
5 Things to do When You’re Overstimulated
- Quit Multitasking
- Touch Breaks
- Technology for Kids
- Put Your Technology Down
- Lock Yourself in the Bathroom (if able safely)
Quit multitasking. Give yourself space to focus on one task at a time. As society demands more, our roles continue to grow and expand as moms. Suddenly moms are taking care of all needs of children. Feed them. Bathe them. Console them. Teach them. Drive them. Referee them. And find time to have a job and make an income. Keep the house clean and tidy. Date your spouse or significant other. Keep the romance alive and still find time for “self-care” for yourself.
Touch breaks. These are used daily in our house as a strategy. Helping in giving space when kids have been home all day and no breaks for mom. The kids understand when “touch break” is called that we all move to a separate space from each other and do an activity or read a book alone. Using this showed my son that it’s okay to need a break from his sister and ask for that in the same way. Lifechanging in our household.
Technology usage for kids is okay. It gives you space to breathe and decompress. As a part-time, stay-at-home mom, I am a proponent of letting my kids use technology. We use it to play educational games or listen to books being read on Bookflix. This is a favorite in our house as the books are read to the child since my kids can’t read yet. We use our local library account to have access to this. Check your library for the resources that they offer for families!
Put technology down. I have implemented this in my daily life. Taking time to set aside my phone and computer reduced the overwhelming feelings I have been having. Working from home and the office at times. I am constantly on my phone or computer working. When I am scrolling on my phone and focused on that, is when my kids need something, or my husband is trying to talk to me. And this is the start to overwhelm by everything. That is when the phone is put away so I can focus on what is important and that is my family.
Lock yourself in your bathroom, if it’s safe to. Occasionally going to a quiet space where no one can reach you allows the space to decompress. Deep breathing and focusing on positive feelings and emotions helps to refocus the brain on things that don’t overstimulate.
My son had colic the first four months of his life, I used this strategy to refocus myself when I was feeling overwhelmed. Laying him safely in his crib and shutting the door for a few minutes helped my mental health tremendously. A few moments can be all it takes to feel more in control of your feelings and emotions.
The demands on moms are unrealistic. Moms are losing their temper and yelling at our kids because we have many things challenging our brain at one time. The television is telling the kids to feel their feelings, so they start expressing those with loud words. Then the phone starts ringing, and the pot is boiling on the stove. While my kids are now screaming at each other about who gets to sing Old McDonald FIRST!
Being overstimulated as a mom is a real thing. It’s something that many moms are dealing with right now. The outside world sees it as moms losing their tempers and yelling, but really it’s a mom who is holding too many hats and afraid to drop one of them.
Give yourself grace as a mom and try one of the strategies to help work through those feelings. And when you see a mom who seems overstimulated, ask if you can hang out with her kids while she takes a break. You may be giving her the only break she has had all day.
