59. The mama mental load

Understanding Mother Stories

In today's episode, we explore the overwhelming mental load of motherhood, why it often falls on moms, and how to challenge this dynamic for future generations. Moms typically become the default parent, managing most child-related tasks, which leads to a significant mental load. Effective communication with partners is essential to redistribute household and parenting responsibilities, especially if the current load affects your mental health. Our society's gender roles influence these dynamics, so it's important to encourage children to participate in a variety of tasks regardless of gender and to model balanced behavior in your family. Reflect on your family's task distribution and work towards equity by sharing responsibilities based on interests and abilities. Montessori education and insights from same-sex parenting couples offer valuable lessons on reducing gender biases in task distribution. Additionally, moms need to trust their partners and let go of the need to do everything perfectly to achieve a more equitable parenting dynamic. Reflect on your role and consider redistributing the mental load in your family for a more balanced and enjoyable family life. 0:20 intro 0:55 The default parent and the parenting load 2:55 why we take on as much... social norms based on gender 3:30 how to challenge this gender bias 4:30 Modeling this balance 5:25 about Montessori education and challenging gender bias 5:55 Erica Jossa's take on this bias 6:35 why it is hard to let go of our responsibilities 7:10 what is your position in your family ? Conclusion Keep the discussion going on instagram For mama anf family support, go to ohmama.ca or send an email at [e-mail]