Stay-at-home mothers use paid childcare to help them cope with the pressure

Stay-at-home mums often cop the rough end of the stick.

Because they don’t go out to work, instead looking after their usually pre-school age children, many working mothers feel their counterparts have taken a softer option.

After all, it can’t be that hard to watch your own children in the comfort of your own home can it?

But a new study has found what stay-at-home mothers already know – that looking after children full time can be demanding and exhausting.

In fact, one in five say they are so tired from looking after their toddlers that they only enjoy half the time they spend with them.

A total of 2,200 mums with pre-school age children were polled by TV channel Cartoonito, who found a total of 63 per cent even used paid for childcare to help them cope with 70 per cent of these using their child free time to do housework, shopping or catch up on sleep.

Family psychologist and parenting expert Dr Pat Spungin says that motherhood is full time work, with past generations having extended family around to help them out:

She says“Mums certainly shouldn’t feel bad about enlisting some support so they can take some time out for themselves. Everyone jokes about the ‘terrible twos’ but for many mums, the pre-school years can be incredibly stressful – especially if you are a stay at home mum without the relative respite of a job to go to. Toddlers are mini whirlwinds with boundless energy reserves and a million questions on a good day, and terrific tantrums on bad days.”

Cartoonito is offering all parents the chance to win a year’s free childcare at www.facebook.com/cartoonitoparents