Does anyone else feel like they’ve become a loner after becoming a parent?
Has anyone else gone through phases like this?
My whole life I’ve kind of gone through seasons. Sometimes I’d want to be out all the time, constantly with friends, making plans, never wanting to be home. Then I’d go through phases where I just wanted to be left alone.
Ever since I had my son (he’s 2 now), I feel like I’ve changed even more. I’m also a single mom and have him full-time, so by the end of most days I’m pretty mentally drained. I’ll still go through little phases where I want to see friends, but for the most part I just… don’t. I’d rather take my son somewhere by ourselves or spend time with my immediate family.
It’s not that I dislike my friends or don’t care about people. I just feel mentally exhausted being around others, especially after chasing a toddler around all day. Sometimes the thought of making plans almost feels like another thing on my to do list instead of something I’m excited about.
At the same time, I worry because I don’t want to become isolated. I want my son to have memories with friends and other families, but I also find myself preferring the peace of just doing our own thing.
Has anyone else experienced this after becoming a parent, especially as a single parent? Did it end up being a phase, or did your social battery genuinely change?