Woman Struggles With Feeling Resentful
Jim Daly
Focus on the Family
A weekly advice column written by Jim Daly, Focus on the Family draws upon a deep, abiding Christian faith to help heal broken marriages and troubled families, built on a foundation of “the power of hope and second chances.” Focus on the Family’s sound, Christian guidance gives readers helpful answers on how to navigate a steady path in an uncertain world.
Q: I'm a wife and a mom. I work full-time. I love my family and I love being busy. But I feel a little ... resentful, I suppose, and afraid that I'm going to fail somehow. What can I do?
Jim: Most moms probably see their "job description" as something like this: You hit the floor running in the morning, and you don't stop until you collapse into bed exhausted late at night. Then you get up and do it all over. Usually, you really do love it.
But your busy schedule is what I'd want to ask you about. Do you know how to care for your inner world as well as you do your outer world? Humans are like pressure cookers. We can only handle so much stress. Sooner or later, it's all going to release — one way or another. If you feel like you're barely holding your world together, you could be one crisis away from life spinning out of your control.
You essentially only have two choices. You can go through a crisis and discover that you MUST stop. Or you can head off a crisis by believing that you CAN stop. You won't find inner peace by controlling a crazy outer world, but by creating calm within your crazy.
Maybe you can find a few minutes to sit and be quiet. Or to enjoy lunch in the park or a bubble bath after everyone else has gone to bed. There are a million options. Find a few that create physical and spiritual space. You deserve it. And you need it if you hope to refresh your mind, your body and your soul.
And a word to husbands/dads and kids: Take a close look at the special mom in your life. How can YOU help take a little stress off her shoulders? Don't wait — show her your love by serving her today.
Q: It seems like several states are taking steps to ban or restrict social media use among teens. That's great news for parents, right?
Paul Asay, Director, Plugged In: Well, yes and no. Given how adept kids and teens can be about circumventing those restrictions, I'd caution you to not be overly reliant on legislation. The first and best line of defense against the ills of social media is found closer to home: You.
But how? It's not easy in this age of ever-on screens and never-ending feeds. If your teen already has a phone, the best strategy involves three primary tactics.
1. Limit your teen's screen time. Institute screen-free times in your home: multi-hour windows when screens are off, phones are down and natural conversations can flourish. Create screen-free zones. Your family kitchen is a great place to keep screen-free, because so many organic discussions take place naturally. And keep phones out of your teen's bedroom at night. Few teens make wise use of them at 3 a.m., and let's be honest: A simple alarm clock isn't that expensive.
2. Talk ... and listen. Guide your teens in safe social media use. Remind them of the dangers found online. (If you need help in either of those areas, check out Plugged In's own Guide to Technology at PluggedIn.com/tech-guide.) But no matter how vigilant, there's always a chance your child will see or experience something online you wish they didn't. Create a safe space for your kids to talk about these difficult issues. Don't freak out. Respond with sensitivity and grace.
3. Set a good example. Teaching good social media habits begins with you and the example you set. Don't forget that your kids are watching you. And what you do will teach them far more effectively than what you say.
Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author and president of Focus on the Family. He is also the host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com or at Facebook.com/JimDalyFocus.
Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication. Copyright © 2025. Used with permission.