Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, says that three is the magic number for stress, when it comes to children.

Having children is undoubtedly the biggest blessing in life, but no parent will deny that this brings a huge responsibility and stress on a daily basis. Yet, studies have shown that having three kids causes the most stress, even more than 4 and above.

Today Parents conducted a survey in 2013 which found that the mothers of three are the most stressed and deal with the highest amount of stress, reaching an average of 8.5 on a scale of 10.

Also, 60% of the moms maintained that girls are more stressful to raise than boys, as they require more attention and care.

One of the participants, Jill Smokler, said that the transition from one to two kids was breezy, but two to three turned everything upside down, so she found it tremendously stressful.

Psychiatrist Dr. Janet Taylor explains that three kids are literally the breaking point for many parents, and afterward, with each new child, everything becomes too cliché, and parents cannot get more stressed out. When one has four or more kids, there is no space for perfectionism in one’s head, and the entire situation just makes one more confident in the parenting abilities.

Moms are acutely aware of the fact they do not have the time to take care of their own needs and hobbies.

Moreover, the survey also found that:

• 72 percent of the mothers stress about how stressed they are
• 60 percent claim that lack time to finish all their tasks
• Nine out of 10 mothers stress about staying fit and attractive
• 46 percent of moms maintain their husbands/partners cause them more stress than their children

Elizabeth Scott, MS, claims that there is no deeper bond than the one between a mother and a child, but the commitment to nurture another human being from infancy to adulthood brings about huge stress, and while each mother may face unique stressors, many demands of motherhood and the stressors experienced are virtually universal.

Therefore, mothers are generally stressed about the physical changes that they experience during pregnancy and after giving birth. Also, their partners cause even bigger stress than their children, and they are also stressed due to the constant lack of time, and their countless tasks during the day.

Dr.Taylor advises saying no to your children, husband, and even friends at times, as you need to have some time for yourself, even if it is just 10 minutes to take some deep breaths and focus on what you need.

However, despite all the turbulences children bring in life, it is a fact that all the joy, laughter, smiles, noise, and happiness they create in the home are drastically more important than anything else.

Source: theheartysoul.com