Feeling dread instead of excitement about family trips? Here's what's happening in your nervous system and how to partner through capacity differences. Vacations feel hard when one partner carries more mental load because their nervous system is already operating near capacity. High-stress situations like travel don't just add more tasks—they push an already depleted partner into survival mode where even basic tasks become overwhelming. This reveals existing imbalances in how mental load is distributed.

Parent burnout isn’t a failure of patience. It’s a sign of diminished capacity. Learn how nervous system depletion affects parenting reactions, why self-compassion supports regulation, and how evidence-informed, practical strategies can help parents rebuild capacity and repair with their children.