A Letter to the Overwhelmed Mom

Written by: Dr. Nellie Keys, DC

If summer has felt more like survival than sunshine... this letter is for you.

The familiar routines of the school year have disappeared. Instead of predictable mornings and afternoons, every day seems to look a little different. Between camps, swimming lessons, sports, playdates, vacations, childcare, and trying to keep everyone entertained, it can feel like you're constantly coordinating the next thing.

Maybe your schedule hasn't changed, but theirs has.

And somehow, that means you're carrying even more.

You're juggling work, meals, activities, doctor's appointments, endless snack requests, and trying to keep everyone where they need to be, all while wondering when you last had a moment to yourself.

Then, when the kids finally go to bed, you're too exhausted to enjoy the quiet.

If that sounds familiar, I want you to hear this:

You're not doing anything wrong. Your body has simply been adapting to constant demand.

Our bodies are incredibly resilient. They adapt remarkably well to seasons of stress. But when stress stops being a season and becomes the everyday, even the most resilient body begins asking for support.

Over time, the physical, emotional, and mental demands of motherhood can show up as:

• Neck and shoulder tension

• Headaches

• Low back discomfort

• Restless sleep

• Fatigue and irritability

• Simply feeling like you're running on empty

As a chiropractor, I spend my days caring for moms whose bodies have been quietly carrying more than anyone realizes. And one thing I've learned is this: the body doesn't need us to push harder—it needs support.

Somewhere between taking care of everyone else, you've forgotten what it feels like to take care of you.

And maybe that's the hardest part. Not the laundry. Not the meals. Not the endless driving. It's that somewhere along the way, you stopped seeing yourself as someone who deserves care, too.

You don't need to be falling apart to deserve support. You don't have to wait until you're completely burned out before someone gives you permission to take care of yourself.

Because you already have it.

Five Simple Ways to Care for Yourself

These aren't meant to become five more things on your to-do list. They're simply small reminders that you matter, too.

1. Step Outside Before Everyone Needs You

Even five minutes on the porch with your morning coffee or tea can make a difference. Morning sunlight helps support your body's natural sleep-wake cycle while giving you one quiet moment before the world starts asking things of you.

2. Build One Small Pause Into Your Day

You probably can't disappear for an hour and that's okay. Instead, find one predictable moment each day to pause for just two or three minutes. Take a few slow breaths. Stretch your shoulders. Close your eyes for a moment.

Small moments don't solve everything, but they remind your body that it's safe to slow down, even briefly.

3. Give Yourself Permission to Let the Kids Be Bored

You are not responsible for creating magical entertainment every minute of every day. Boredom is often the birthplace of creativity, imagination, and independence. Sometimes, letting your children figure out what to do next gives you the gift of breathing for a minute.

4. Nourish Yourself, Too

It's surprisingly easy to spend the day feeding everyone else only to realize it's late afternoon and you've barely eaten or had a glass of water. You deserve the same care you so freely give everyone else.

5. Remember That You Belong on the List

You schedule dental appointments, doctor's appointments, haircuts, and sports physicals. You remember everyone's needs because that's what moms do. Just don't forget that you belong on that list, too.

So Let Me Remind You...

• You don't have to earn rest.

• You don't have to earn support.

• You don't have to justify making an appointment because you're "not bad enough yet."

Imagine waking up with a little more energy. Imagine taking a deep breath and realizing your shoulders aren't sitting up around your ears anymore. Imagine moving through your day with a little more ease and a little less tension.

Imagine ending the day with enough left in your cup to truly enjoy the people you love instead of simply making it to bedtime.

You deserve that.

Not someday. Not after the kids are older. Not when life finally slows down. Now.

Because caring for yourself isn't taking away from your family. It's one of the greatest gifts you can give them.

My hope is that somewhere in the middle of camps, snack requests, laundry, and late nights, you remember to care for the person who's been caring for everyone else.

Because you matter, too. And maybe this summer doesn't have to feel quite so much like survival after all.

Always cheering you on,

Dr. Nellie Keys, DC