Do You Have Parental Burnout?

Here's a help-wanted ad you won't see in your local paper: Seeking woman with energy, willing to work twenty-four hours a day. Must be patient, loving, wise, dependable, and organized. Must be able to cook, sew, shop, clean, and quickly learn new methods necessary for keeping a household happy and cared for. Salary: none.

There'd be no takers for a job like that, right? Wrong! Today there are 60 million mothers who tackle such tasks seven days a week. Furthermore, every year 3 million more apply for the position.

If you're a mother, you understand the rigors of this job like no one else. And surely you’re aware of its rich rewards. But sometimes you might feel that your labor output exceeds your job benefits. Do you ever feel that you are being taken for granted?

The following quiz was designed to gauge the stress level that mothers are feeling on the job. If you're a mother, take the quiz to see how close to burnout you really are. If you're not a mom, put yourself in your mother's shoes and answer the questions as you think she would answer them.