Self-Care for Parents Guide

I am running on empty as a parent and I need to genuinely look after myself — not just be told to have a bath.

My situation: [DESCRIBE — single parent / working full time / new baby / caring for parent too / multiple children]
How I'm feeling: [DESCRIBE — exhausted / resentful / snapping at the kids / crying / just numb]
What 'self-care' looks like currently: [nothing / scrolling at night / occasionally a walk]
What I actually need: [DESCRIBE honestly — time alone / help / sleep / an identity outside parenting / all of it]

Give me a real self-care plan — not a bubble bath list:
1. **Why parental depletion happens** and why it's not a character flaw
2. **The minimum viable restoration** — the smallest changes that actually make a difference
3. **Practical ways to create time** — not just 'ask for help', but specific strategies
4. **The mental load** — what it is and how to reduce it, not just delegate tasks
5. **Guilt** — why it comes up, why it's mostly unhelpful, and how to manage it
6. **When this is more than tiredness** — signs of parental burnout that need more than self-care

I am running on empty as a parent and I need to genuinely look after myself — not just be told to have a bath.

My situation: [DESCRIBE — single parent / working full time / new baby / caring for parent too / multiple children]
How I'm feeling: [DESCRIBE — exhausted / resentful / snapping at the kids / crying / just numb]
What 'self-care' looks like currently: [nothing / scrolling at night / occasionally a walk]
What I actually need: [DESCRIBE honestly — time alone / help / sleep / an identity outside parenting / all of it]

Give me a real self-care plan — not a bubble bath list:
1. **Why parental depletion happens** and why it's not a character flaw
2. **The minimum viable restoration** — the smallest changes that actually make a difference
3. **Practical ways to create time** — not just 'ask for help', but specific strategies
4. **The mental load** — what it is and how to reduce it, not just delegate tasks
5. **Guilt** — why it comes up, why it's mostly unhelpful, and how to manage it
6. **When this is more than tiredness** — signs of parental burnout that need more than self-care