It had become so normal that I stopped recognizing it as a burden. It felt like motherhood—an extension of the years of doctor appointments, school events, and scraped knees. Except now the emergencies weren’t fevers and nightmares, but overdraft fees and impulsive spending.
After I quit my job, I felt something surprising: relief, yes, but also clarity. I finally had the mental space to see how drained I’d become. My kids weren’t bad people. But they were used to a version of me who always said yes, even when it meant sacrificing my own stability.
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