Dear December: A Love Letter From a Mum Who Is Absolutely Exhausted

Dear December: A Love Letter From a Mum Who Is Absolutely Exhausted

By Tara, Founder of Bump & Bloom

Dear December,

I love you.
I dread you.
And right now, I am surviving you one snack request, one meltdown, and one “Mummmm” at a time.

This is my festive season journal entry, written with cold coffee in hand, two small humans orbiting me constantly, and a mental load that feels like 47 browser tabs open in my brain, all playing sound.

I’m a mum of two under four.
I’m also a working mum.
And during the festive season, those two roles collide in a way that feels intense.

Not magical Instagram intense.
More like, why is everyone crying and why is there wet soggy play-dough everywhere intense.

The Mental Load No One Puts on the Christmas To-Do List

Let’s talk about the extra things our brains carry at this time of year.

On top of the everyday mental gymnastics like meals, snacks, naps (or worse - trying not to let them nap), childcare logistics, work deadlines, and laundry that never ends, December arrives with a whole new layer of responsibility.

  • End-of-year childcare parties, plus gifts, cards, outfits, and RSVPs.
  • Family logistics to make all of 'that' possible.
  • Social expectations to be joyful, grateful, present, and glowing.
  • Work wrapping up and planning for the year ahead.
  • Financial pressure disguised as tinsel.
  • The Christmas present buying list that continues to grow as my bank account shrinks
  • And the constant, nagging feeling that you should be enjoying this more.

It’s not that we don’t love our kids.
It’s that loving them requires thinking about a thousand invisible things, all at once.

And thinking, it turns out, is exhausting. 

There’s also a particular kind of tired that comes from being with your kids full time. Not the “I worked late” tired. For me, it's the “I have answered 400 questions before 9am” tired.

I adore my children, truly, but being their everything, entertainer, referee, emotional regulator, snack provider, safety officer, nap negotiator, is a level of cognitive demand no one really prepares you for. Especially when routines dissolve. No daycare breaks. No familiar structure. No predictable windows of quiet. Just long days where you’re “on” from sunrise until bedtime (to frequent middle of the night wake ups to tend to), and then you lie there still mentally awake, replaying everything you forgot to do.

And if you’re a working mum, December adds another layer altogether. It can feel like a personal performance review you didn’t ask for. You finish work for the year and suddenly there’s an expectation that you’ll emerge refreshed, calm, and fully present at home, as if your brain hasn’t been running at full capacity since February. No transition period, no decompression, just straight from emails to emotional availability. Three weeks off is meant to fix everything, apparently, even though your nervous system is still in work mode and your body is tired in a way sleep doesn’t touch. So you sit on the floor playing with your kids, quietly wondering if you’re doing enough, resting enough, or failing spectacularly at all of it.

A Gentle Reminder, For You and Me

  • You do not need to create magical memories every single day.
  • You do not need to say yes to every invitation.
  • You do not need to hold everyone else’s emotions without support.
  • You do not need to be cheerful when you’re depleted.
  • You do not need to earn rest by reaching exhaustion first.

If You’re Struggling This Festive Season

If this article feels a little too close to home, please know there is support available. You don’t have to carry this alone.

Here are some genuinely helpful Australian resources for mums feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or burnt out over the holidays:

Beyond Blue
https://www.beyondblue.org.au

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia)
https://www.panda.org.au

Lifeline
13 11 14
https://www.lifeline.org.au

Reaching out is not a failure. It’s an act of care for yourself and your family.

Why I Built Bump & Bloom

I created Bump & Bloom because motherhood is beautiful, but it is also complex, emotional, demanding, and deeply human.

This space exists to remind you that you are allowed to be more than just coping.
That you deserve softness, support, and moments that feel like you again.

If you’re navigating this season with a full heart and an even fuller mental load, I see you.

And if you need something, a moment of calm, a thoughtful gift to yourself, or a small reminder that you matter too, come spend some time with us.

Visit us at
https://www.bumpandbloom.com.au

Because motherhood isn’t meant to be carried alone.
And neither is December.

With love and solidarity,
Tara
Founder, Bump & Bloom

Back to blog