I’m a Working Mom of Two - One with Autism, and I am Exhausted.

I feel like this is something that needs to be talked about more.

Real. Honest.

Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done. And when you add being a full-time employee and raising children with very different needs… what do you get?

An always exhausted, overstimulated woman who feels like she’s never doing enough.

It’s me. Hi — nice to meet you.

When I became a mom, I knew I was going to have to continue working. We are very fortunate that my mom is able to watch our boys — I know that alone is a huge blessing and a huge financial relief.

But here’s the thing…

We live in a world that is no longer made for a one-income household.

And at the same time, the world also isn’t made for a working mom.

Being a mom to two children — one with autism and ARFID — often feels like having two full-time jobs.

And I’m also a wife.

I work full time with a hybrid schedule — some days in the office, some days at home. It’s a great job, and I truly am grateful for the flexibility.

But I also believe two things can be true at the same time.

And the truth is — the guilt never really leaves.

That constant feeling that I’m not there enough for my kids lives rent free in my head.

(And honestly, if it’s going to stay this long, it should at least start paying rent.)

Switching Between Roles

Being a mom is never something you can turn off.

But for 40 hours a week, you also have to be an employee. Add in running a household and being a partner… and it starts to feel like you’re being pulled in a hundred different directions.

Make sure the kids are up and ready.

Pack the school bags.

Grab your work bag.

Say goodbye — even when you don’t want to.

Go to work.

Think about dinner before lunch even hits.

Then you come home… and it all starts again.

Even something as simple as dinner isn’t simple.

Most nights, my husband and I are eating one thing, while both of my boys are eating something completely different.

And then it’s straight into the nighttime routine.

It’s harder on the days I go into the office, but the truth is — the “pulling” never really stops.

And I hate that sometimes I only get a few hours with my kids before they go to bed.

It feels like they’re growing up right in front of me… and somehow I’m missing parts of it.

Not Enough Hours in the Day

I’ve always said there aren’t enough hours in the day.

But the older I get, the more I feel that in a real way.

Between being a mom, working full time, running errands, keeping up with the house, and trying to take care of myself… it adds up fast.

It starts to take a toll.

I feel like I only get small pockets of time with my kids — and I constantly wonder if it’s enough for them.

Because I know it doesn’t feel like enough for me.

Patience is a Virtue

And this is the part that’s hardest to admit.

When you’re constantly exhausted and overstimulated, patience doesn’t come as easily as you want it to.

There are moments I wish I could slow down more.

Moments I wish I could respond differently.

Moments I wish I had just a little more to give.

But I’m learning…

That showing up, even imperfectly, still counts.

That loving them through the chaos still matters.

And that maybe being a “good mom” doesn’t mean doing everything —

maybe it just means continuing to try, even when you’re exhausted.

If you’re living this too — trying to balance work, motherhood, and everything in between — I want you to know you’re not alone in it.

Some days are heavy. Some days feel impossible.

But you’re showing up.

And that matters more than you think.