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‘I Cried Last Night as I Asked My Husband if He Was Tired of Me. Because I’m Tired of Me Some Days.’

"Raising babies is hard. But I think the hardest is losing yourself. Life is flying by, and you feel lost in the middle of it."

Mom Sets Toddler in Airport With a Sign She Can’t Read—10 Seconds Later, A Man Scoops Her into His Arms

Everyone but the toddler holding the sign knew what was about to happen...

Teacher Buys Coffee for a Stranger Short on Cash, Has No Clue It’s Keith Urban

"I said he did look like Keith Urban, he said he was. I didn't believe him."

10 Before & After Images That Capture the Struggles of Parenting in the Summer

We’re nearing the end of summer break and that means the shine of summer fun is starting to wear off, just a little, for parents everywhere.

For many moms and dads, summer starts off with all the expectations of a lavished three-month vacation with your kids, but at the end it feels more like an episode of Survivor.

So here’s my ode to summer–the before and after.

1. The chore chart you put together at the beginning of summer.

chore

Your chore chart at the end of summer.

get-along

 

2. Spending quality time with the kids at the beginning of summer.

fam-fun

Quality time at the end of summer.

fail

 

3. Waking up at the beginning of summer.

morning1

Waking up at the end of summer.

morn2

 

4. Planned activities with the kids at the beginning of summer.

fam-activities

Family activities at the end of summer.

ipad

 

5. Intellectual stimulation at the beginning of summer.

reading

Intellectual stimulation at the end of summer.

reading2

 

6. Going to the pool at the beginning of summer.

pool2

Going to the pool at the end of summer.

slide

 

7. When the kids are hungry at the beginning of summer.

snack2

When the kids are hungry at the end of summer.

run3

 

8. Spending money at the beginning of summer.

money

Spending money at the end of summer. Where’d it go?

broke

 

9. Your attitude at the beginning of summer.

risky

Your attitude at the end of summer.

mad

 

10. How you think summer will actually go.

think-fam

How summer actually goes.

fall

But, hey, that’s OK, because we’re all in this together, right?

‘I Cried Last Night as I Asked My Husband if He Was Tired of Me. Because I’m Tired of Me Some Days.’

"Raising babies is hard. But I think the hardest is losing yourself. Life is flying by, and you feel lost in the middle of it."

Mom Sets Toddler in Airport With a Sign She Can’t Read—10 Seconds Later, A Man Scoops Her into His Arms

Everyone but the toddler holding the sign knew what was about to happen...

Teacher Buys Coffee for a Stranger Short on Cash, Has No Clue It’s Keith Urban

"I said he did look like Keith Urban, he said he was. I didn't believe him."