Why Moms Want to Stay Up Late, Even Though They’re Really Exhausted

Moms have to deal with a lot of things at once. Early in the morning, children start crying and demand their breakfast, a husband may wonder where his favorite T-shirt went, and even the dog starts asking for some love and petting. This all may be a bit overwhelming but moms manage to be the first ones to wake up and the last ones to go to bed while still successfully running the house. And many of them even choose to stay up past bedtime.

While we at Bright Side are amazed by moms’ abilities to function without getting any proper sleep for so long, we’re still curious why they choose to stay up late and want to share our thoughts with you.

Moms know their kids won’t fall asleep right away.

Just imagine a perfect, quiet family evening. The kids have brushed their teeth, put on their pajamas, and are now lying in bed. A mom kisses them goodbye and goes to another room, ready to finally have some time for herself. But 10 minutes later, a kid comes up to her and asks for some water. And then for a fairytale. And maybe to switch on the lights.

Experienced mothers know that kids may address many of their needs after you put them to sleep so there’s no point in going to bed early since you will be disturbed anyway.

Moms need to get house duties done.

While husbands are perfectly capable of handling many of the household chores, cleaning the house where kids live may not be an easy task, even for 2 adults. So moms sacrifice precious hours of sleep to get the house ready for tomorrow and to make sure that every family member is prepared for the day to come.

Making grocery shopping lists, scheduling doctors’ appointments, and planning vacations may not sound like a big deal but they require a lot of attention to detail and some free time to actually complete these tasks. And it’s way easier to do so without anyone interrupting.

Moms desperately need some “me time.”

A mother’s job is never done. Some moms even joke that taking a shower has turned into an impossible mission after having kids. So they need to dedicate some time just to themselves. It doesn’t matter if it means taking a long bath, binge-watching Netflix, or doing home workouts.

Despite the strong bond with their kids, mothers are still separate human beings who need to have their own interests fulfilled and satisfied.

Moms want to restore their personal boundaries.

After a day with the kids, all a mother wants is to spend some time alone in silence without being touched. While having your kids and your loved ones around is a blessing, many mothers feel overwhelmed because of the constant communication.

Kids require a lot of attention and want to be around their mom all the time, so it may interfere with a mom’s personal boundaries and cause psychological discomfort. And quiet night hours may be the only time when mothers truly completely belong to themselves.

Moms want to dedicate some time to other people in their lives.

While the major part of any mom’s life revolves around her kids, she still has other important people she’d love to spend some time with. A romantic homemade dinner with a partner or an hour-long intimate conversation with a best friend rarely happen when the kids are up.

Having other social connections and building relationships with people is important for the mental well-being of a mother and sometimes nighttime is the only time when she may have the opportunity to do that.

Moms want to focus on their ambitions.

Many moms still have a career to pursue. While some manage to juggle office work and home life, others choose to work as freelancers. Some moms crave the opportunity to try themselves in a new field or to pursue a promotion.

Finishing work projects, taking up educational courses, and finishing home assignments require lots of concentration and time. So for many mothers, late-night hours may be the only time they have to dedicate to their careers and self-development.

Moms follow their natural biological rhythm.

Some people weren’t born to go to bed at 10 p.m. and having kids can’t change that. They may be devastated in the morning but the night is a time for them to shine. Night owls feel the most comfortable and are more productive during the night. Their bodies can’t get used to their kids’ schedules as it opposes their natural biorhythm. So despite all the tiredness, it keeps moms awake at night.

Do you remember how your mom spent her evenings when you were a kid? Or maybe you’re a mom yourself and would like to share your personal experience!