Caring for a preschooler is exhausting, no matter how much you love your child. Everyone has those days, even months where lack of sleep, endlessly chasing your little one, no personal time, and parental worries get you down. No matter how many "look how wonderfully I'm parenting" posts you see on Facebook, you need to know that feeling overwhelmed is normal!
Over the years many parents have told me they feel they are stretched too thin. They often feel like everyone else is managing, but somehow they just aren't handling this life change as well as most people. I am here to tell you that almost all parents go through this. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. When your child goes from being a baby to being a preschooler with ideas of her own, your life becomes increasingly complicated. Since every child is different and yours didn't come with an instruction manual every week (sometimes everyday) is a learning experience for both of you.
On top of normal parenting issues, add in the fact that you may be sending your child to school or daycare for the first time (stressful), you or your partner's job may be changing (stressful), and this is often a time of life when people move house (considered to be one of biggest life stresses - even when it goes well). I forgot to mention you probably aren't getting a lot of sleep either!
I'm not going to say tis is easy, but do confide in friends and family you trust. Take a look at your schedule and think about what brings you happiness and what stresses you. This allows you to be aware of when you need to take extra care of yourself and maybe you can remove a couple stressors from your life.
Lastly, if you really are at your wits end don't be ashamed to ask for help. Check in with your doctor if necessary and be honest. This is a wonderful time of life and it will be challenging. We all need extra support sometimes.