I posted here previously about my hardships.
Ya'll, I'm working a full time job and a part time job to make ends meet. I'm gone from 7 am until 8-9 pm. By the time I get home my child is getting ready for bed (having spent the day with her Mom). She wants to play with me. It crushes me. She asks to stay up and play games with me and occasionally I do, but it ultimately wipes me out. Usually I have to get home, eat my food, take a shower, go to bed within 30-40 minutes.
I am so burned out.
If she asks to play, at least 50% of the time I say yes because I of course love her and want to spend time with her and I know she needs that. But when I do, it adds even more exhaustion to my plate. I feel like I never have any time to myself - maybe a few hours on a Sunday. We always spend time on the weekends. I should mention that she's extremely needy and often it's like "What? We just went to the water park two days ago and had the whole day together!" I don't know what more to do. I feel like I can't make her happy. I can't make myself less exhausted. Can't make enough money. This economy sucks.
I keep praying, keep leaning on God, keep meditating, keep listening to scripture, read scripture with her, ... I dont know what more to do. I don't even know how i'm going to make it through this work week, honestly. I keep falling to my knees in prayer. God please pull me out of this or give me the wisdom to learn what you're trying to show me. Please pray. Sigh.
On the surface, because I don't really know your situation....
Don't be afraid to hurt your daughter's feelings. I noticed with parents nowadays, everyone is afraid to hurt their kids' feelings and think it's their job is to make their kid happy. It's not really your job to make your kid happy. What's your job? To provide food and a safe environment. When a parent is constantly trying to make a kid happy, you are putting that burden on yourself, of course, but you're also not giving them the chance to learn to cope. It doesn't mean you're going to walk away callously while they're bawling their eyes out. It just means that when they're sad, you are going to hold them and tell them things will get better. Or be there for them when they're ready to be held.
I've noticed the parents who do this 'emotion monitoring' are raising very selfish children.
Just an opinion from a daycare provider that has watched families grow for the last eighteen years.