I remember sitting on my bathroom floor, tears streaming down my face, watching the minutes tick by until bedtime. Four kids (including twins!) all needing something, and there I was - a mom with a master’s in counseling - hiding from my own family.

The guilt was crushing. How could I, someone who literally taught OTHER moms how to handle their kids, be counting down the hours until I could put my own children to bed?

an image with an overwhelmed mom with her hands on her head representing a mom in survival mode

Why Counting Down to Bedtime Doesn’t Make You a Bad Mother

Let me say this again, louder for the mamas hiding in their bathrooms: Watching the clock doesn’t make you a bad mom. In fact, it makes you incredibly normal. And if you’re feeling that knot in your stomach loosen just a little because finally someone said it out loud - stay with me here.

The Reality Nobody Talks About

You know what actually makes you a good mom? The fact that you care enough to feel guilty about this. The fact that even while you’re counting down those hours, you’re still showing up. Still making the snacks, still kissing the boo-boos, still reading that same book for the hundredth time - even when your soul is screaming for quiet.

Here’s what I learned both professionally (as a mom life coach with a master’s in counseling) and personally (as a mom of four who’s hidden in more than a few closets):

The Biology Behind the Burnout

Your brain literally needs downtime to process the day. It’s not just about being “touched out” or overwhelmed - it’s about your nervous system desperately trying to regulate itself. When you’re counting down to bedtime, you’re not being selfish - you’re responding to a biological need for rest and reset.

The Permission Slip You Never Got

Remember how everyone told you to “cherish every moment” because “it goes by so fast”? Yeah, that advice? It’s garbage. Not because the time doesn’t fly by, but because it puts impossible pressure on you to enjoy every single second of a job that’s literally 24/7.

Let me write you a new permission slip:

It’s okay to love your kids desperately AND need breaks from them
You can be grateful for motherhood AND count down to bedtime
Missing your pre-mom life doesn’t make you ungrateful for your current one
Needing space doesn’t make you a bad mom - it makes you human

The Counter-Intuitive Truth

Here’s something that might blow your mind: Those moms who never seem to need a break? Who claim they never watch the clock? They’re either not being honest, or they’re not as connected to their emotions as you are. Your awareness of needing breaks, of feeling overwhelmed - that’s actually a sign of emotional intelligence.

an image of a mom life coach's free self-care guide for moms to help them find ways to reset can find joy

Breaking the Shame Cycle

When you judge yourself for counting down to bedtime, you create a cycle:

Feel overwhelmed → Watch the clock → Feel guilty → Get more overwhelmed → Watch the clock more intensely

But what if instead, you could:

Notice you’re watching the clock → Recognize it as a signal your cup is empty → Take small steps to refill it → Connect more authentically with your kids

The Truth About “Good” Moms

Good moms get overwhelmed.
Good moms need breaks.
Good moms count down to bedtime.
Good moms sometimes hide in the bathroom.
And good moms - like you - keep showing up, even when it’s hard.

A Personal Note

I remember the day I finally admitted to my mom friends that I sometimes wished bedtime would come faster. You know what happened? Every single one of them exhaled with relief and said “me too.” That’s when I realized: We’re all carrying this guilt, thinking we’re the only ones.

You’re not alone in this. You’re not a bad mom. You’re human. And acknowledging that humanity - including the hard parts - doesn’t make you less of a mother. It makes you a more authentic one.

The 5 Hidden Reasons Moms Watch the Clock (And How to Stop)

The Overstimulation Trap: When Love Feels Like Noise
Remember when you dreamed about tiny voices calling “Mama”? Now those sweet calls come with a side of sensory overload. Between the constant touching, asking, needing - your nervous system is in overdrive. This isn’t about not loving your kids. It’s about your brain desperately seeking quiet to reset.
Decision Fatigue and the ‘Mental Tab’ Overload
Every mom I work with describes the same thing: that feeling of having 47 browser tabs open in their brain. What’s for dinner? Did we RSVP to that birthday party? Is that rash normal? When was the last time the kids brushed their teeth? Your brain isn’t designed to handle this many open tabs.
The Perfectionism Paradox
You’re trying to be everything to everyone, and guess what? It’s exhausting. That Pinterest-perfect mom you’re trying to be? She doesn’t exist. And chasing her is stealing your joy.
The Identity Crisis Nobody Talks About
Remember when you had hobbies? Interests? Conversations that didn’t revolve around sleep schedules or snack choices? That person is still in there, and she needs space to breathe.
The Physical and Emotional Marathon
Motherhood is a full-contact sport with no timeouts. Your body and mind are running a marathon at sprint speed, every single day. Of course you’re watching the clock - you need a finish line.

an image of a mom laying in bed, overwhelmed with mom guilt for counting down the hours until her kids went to bed

From Survival Mode to Actually Living: The RESET You’ve Been Looking For

Here’s where I tell you something important: I’m not in that bathroom anymore. Not because my kids suddenly became perfect or because I discovered some magical formula. But because I learned something that changed everything: how to catch myself before I hit that breaking point.

The “Pause Button” Method That Actually Works

You know that moment when you can feel yourself about to lose it? When the kids are fighting over who breathed louder, the dog just threw up on your last clean pants, and you’re this close to completely losing your mind? That’s your pause button moment.

I teach my clients to recognize these moments not as failures, but as signals. Signals that tell us exactly when and how to reset - before we end up hiding in the bathroom counting down minutes.

Here’s what it looks like in real life:

When your toddler is having their third meltdown before noon
When everyone needs something RIGHT NOW
When you feel that familiar tension creeping up your shoulders
When you catch yourself checking the time… again

The game-changer isn’t in avoiding these moments (because let’s be real - they’re coming whether we like it or not). It’s in having a plan for when they hit.

Your Personal RESET Blueprint

This isn’t about deep breathing or counting to ten (though if that works for you, awesome!). This is about having specific, personalized strategies that work for YOUR life, YOUR kids, and YOUR triggers.

For some of my clients, it’s as simple as:

Announcing “Mama needs a minute” and actually taking it
Having emergency activity bags ready for those moments
Creating specific zones in your house where kids can safely play while you reset
Building in daily “pressure release valves” that prevent the overwhelm from building

The Secret to Sustainable Joy

Here’s what I’ve learned from working with a lot of moms: Joy isn’t about having perfect days. It’s about knowing how to handle the imperfect ones. It’s about moving from:

Dreading the hard moments → Having a plan for them
Feeling guilty about needs → Honoring them before crisis hits
Running on empty → Knowing how to refill your cup
Surviving each day → Actually living it

Because here’s the truth: Those bedtime countdown moments? They’re not going to disappear completely. But they don’t have to be your whole story. They can be signals that help you reset and reconnect, instead of reasons to beat yourself up.

A Final Note From Someone Who Gets It

Look, I’ve been where you are. That mom on the bathroom floor, dealing with postpartum anxiety, rage, and four kids (including twins!) who all needed something RIGHT NOW. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re drowning in a life you’re supposed to be grateful for.

But I also know something else: There’s a way out that doesn’t involve waiting for your kids to grow up or pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.

You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through another day. You don’t have to feel guilty about watching the clock. And you definitely don’t have to figure this out alone.

Ready to Move Beyond Survival Mode?

If you’re nodding along thinking “yes, this is exactly what I needed to hear,” let’s talk. Book a free “Reset & Reconnect” call where we’ll:

Cut through what’s actually keeping you stuck (hint: it’s probably not what you think)
Create a practical plan that works for YOUR life and YOUR kids
See if we’re a good fit to work together (because personality matters, right?)

Because here’s the truth: You’re not just surviving motherhood - you’re doing the hardest job on the planet. And you deserve support that actually works.

Want to stop counting down the minutes and start actually enjoying them? Let’s talk.

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