Student Well-being 

LifeEd Resources for Parents and Carers 

Overcoming Burnout with Dr Kaylene Henderson

Raising a child brings joy, love and deep fulfillment. But modern-day parenting takes place against a backdrop of many life pressures which can include – demanding jobs, financial stressors, grief, separation, and sometimes, a lack of extended family support.

Even when family life is going well, it can seem like a daily juggle of schedules bursting at the seams and dozens of weekly activities.

Parent burnout is a common phenomenon, with 60% of parents in a 2022 study, * saying they never find time to relax and recharge. Nearly half feel they do not have enough time to get everything done. About two in five feel tiredness gets in the way of being the kind of parent they want to be. Over a third feel they are too hard on themselves about their parenting, and one quarter said work gets in the way of quality family time.

Self-care might seem like a luxury, especially during a cost-of-living crisis, but evidence shows parent self-care is crucial to the wellbeing of children and vital for parents’ physical and emotional health.

In this episode of the Life Ed Podcast, popular child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Kaylene Henderson, a busy mother of three, shares her down-to-earth tips for combating parent burnout.

She says perfectionism and trying to do it all are a recipe for exhaustion. Instead, we should focus more on lowering the bar and delighting in our children and the quality of our relationships with them.

“We need to let go of this idea that we can do it all because we genuinely can’t,” Dr Henderson says. “And you’re not a failure for not being able to do it all. It’s actually just that the expectations on us are impossible." If the to-do list is unachievably long, reflect on what is it you want to keep at the top there; what are the big priorities for you and really just hone in on doing those things well.”

Hear more of Dr Henderson’s advice on overcoming parent burnout in her latest podcast.

Check out more parent & carer resources at https://lifeed.org.au/families/resources-for-parents-carers/

Lauren Borg

Student Well-being Leader