Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 AKA a rant thread about mommy brain.You guys know that I love you, and I love the incredibly high level of discourse that happens in Gen Chat. I'm not blaming anyone for writing at a high level. Go right ahead! This thread is about me and my puny lump of gray matter that sits between my ears.It feels like ever since I had a kid, my brain has lost about 40% of its function. I have ceased to understand sentences with multiple clauses and words with more than three syllables. Forming a coherent thought is literally a painful process. This was not a problem three or more years ago, before I stupidly fell prey to my hormones and produced what is possibly the world's next Don Juan. Several years ago, I would have sat down and read the politics thread or any other "serious discussion" topic with relish. I would have clicked on the link and got my popcorn out and prepared my body to receive ideas from on high, couched in fancy SAT words.I can no longer do this, and I am being buffeted by feelings of inferiority and shame. What is happening? Why can't I understand the words that are on my screen? Are these people even writing in the same language? Is this what happens when you spend 3 years on mommy boards? Today, I saw someone misuse the word "jaded" in a most horrible fashion. She really meant "bias." E.g. "I have nothing much against you [Name], but I feel your opinion could be slightly jaded since someone said [Company X] would be sewing some of your [product] for you." This is seriously what I am surrounding myself with these days. At least it seems like it. I mean, at least I know what the word "jaded" really means, and that the person making this statement is in dire need of merriam-webster.com, but c'mon, man! I have fallen low.Does anyone else feel this way? Has anyone here ever recovered fully from parental brain mush? Does it get worse if you have a second? Help me. HELP ME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 No, unless sleep deprivation and stress has this much of an impact even after a year or more of being removed from those situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Jack is only 4 months old and yes, through lack of sleep, trying to get him to say consonant/vowel combinations, diapers...I feel like I have dropped in IQ. Was just talking to some of our friends about it over the weekend - you know you're in trouble when you tell your co-workers "Oh oh, potty time." and don't realize it till they are red faced laughing at you.I could look it up, but isn't there an estimated effective 10iq point drop during the first few years due to lack of sleep, etc? Or does it just feel that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Only 10? It feels like I've bottomed out at about -238,950. So, slightly above slug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Only 10? It feels like I've bottomed out at about -238,950. So, slightly above slug.I understand completely....I've got my certification for my job coming up on Thursday and I am terrified that Jack is going to have one of "those" nights and I'll get two hours sleep so that I can tell my MBB "No, the p-value is what Jack left in his diaper this morning, not the probablity..." and immediately get asked to leave the building.So since it has been longer for you, do you actually think you are sleeping as well as you did pre-child? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 I have issues with sleep in general, but I'm sleeping much better now. Still, I don't think that's a factor - I've turned out excellent work on very little sleep, and I didn't feel as if my mental faculties were the equivalent of a garbage truck. It's just now, being removed from situations where I'm required to use my brain that I feel my brain doesn't exist anymore (I do still use my brain, just not in an academically-motivated way, ie not writing papers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isalie Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I feel you. This whole "never at one's sound fluids" is no joke. My second has been so much easier than the first in terms of sleep/temper, however, two still feels a lot harder, spare time is essentially non-existant and the constant conflicts between the two is keeping my head ringing 24/7. Luckily, they are both adoreable, I wish the fatigue would wear off though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I have issues with sleep in general, but I'm sleeping much better now. Still, I don't think that's a factor - I've turned out excellent work on very little sleep, and I didn't feel as if my mental faculties were the equivalent of a garbage truck. It's just now, being removed from situations where I'm required to use my brain that I feel my brain doesn't exist anymore (I do still use my brain, just not in an academically-motivated way, ie not writing papers).OHHH...yeah...I've said for a long time, even more so now, I could not go back and pass my HS exams. I haven't used any of that knowledge in 20 something years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raidne Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Maybe your brain, having more important things in your immediate line of sight to think about, just doesn't want to cooperate in the whole giving-a-shit department? When I'm overloaded with other day to day things my brain doesn't care as much about the news either, which is why it's so unfortunate the ACA decision will come down this week, probably on Thursday. Unlikely to have much available brain. And young kids are much more time-consuming on an order of magnitude.How's your music brain? Or is this not Mina? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 what musical abilityTo be serious, I haven't been motivated to learn anything in a while. It's like I fell into some brain slump. I know I have a problem but solving it is like solving Fermat's last theorem. And I also know I am not alone in this.I do place value in the ability to argue at the collegiate level, but perhaps I'm just too much in love with the ivory tower. In the real world, no one gives a crap whether or not you know the meaning of "shibboleth" and can use it correctly in a sentence. They're much more likely to get upset at the bandying about of 5 dollar words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elder Sister Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 No, you're not crazy. Yes, it's from having kids. And if you survive your teenager(s), it gets better.Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Maybe your brain, having more important things in your immediate line of sight to think about, just doesn't want to cooperate in the whole giving-a-shit department? When I'm overloaded with other day to day things my brain doesn't care as much about the news either, which is why it's so unfortunate the ACA decision will come down this week, probably on Thursday. Unlikely to have much available brain. And young kids are much more time-consuming on an order of magnitude.How's your music brain? Or is this not Mina?I'm sitting on my ass at home today. I have no excuse. I'm on the board and Facebook and I am thinking very hard about going to the market to get ingredients for dinner tonight, and possibly practicing, and there is the issue of working out that I still have not addressed. I do have work later in the evening but work requires very little prep, as lessons are always rather spontaneous in nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 No, you're not crazy. Yes, it's from having kids. And if you survive your teenager(s), it gets better.Hang in there.Oh my God. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashiara Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 No, you are not crazy and you are not alone. I feel I'm getting dumber and dumber by the day, dropping IQ points like crazy. I can't concentrate on anything, long convoluted sentences require reading multiple times to make sense and I'm more prone to skimming posts than actually reading them these days. I'm losing my vocabulary in two languages and find myself unable to come up with the word I want and need at the moment, in writing and in real life. The old synapses just don't work anymore.I definitely blame the babies. It's insane, completely insane and after having survived the first 11 months I fear it's only going to get worse. Heck, there was a brief period a few months ago where we were actually able to get some sleep, these days sleep is all we dream about.They tell me it gets better. I hope so. When i said I was becoming a zombie all those months ago I didn't realize I would lose my mind for real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Mash, I give you a hug of solidarity. I skim posts as well. There are certain posters who, when they post, I don't even read because I know I'm going to feel like a derpaderp. It's seriously like reading Toni Morrison up in here some days.Maybe we need an intellecualism-lite thread. What should we talk about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Soo...lets cheer up the thread with ridiculously cute pictures of our children, the cause of all of us becoming functionally retarded.Cuz otherwise...damn this is getting depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 I'm just glad I am not alone.This almost feels like one of those "man I wish I was high school skinny" deals, except this time it's "man I wish I were college smart." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashiara Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Maybe we need an intellecualism-lite thread. What should we talk about?*hides* You want me to actually discuss something? Umm... umm... besides baby/diaper/feeding/etc talk I got nothing. :(Ok, that's a lie, I can still talk Greek politics and several other serious issues. The question is, do I want to use up the last of my grey matter for such topics?Soo...lets cheer up the thread with ridiculously cute pictures of our children, the cause of all of us becoming functionally retarded.Cuz otherwise...damn this is getting depressing.I flooded FB with unbelievable cuteness today, with Miltos and Alex at the beach. I even posted a video. Go check them out. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookyrump Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 You're completely normal.Energy once devoted to pleasure, pastime or profession is now reinvested in your children. I imagine your mommy IQ is at genius levels now, while regular life IQ has taken a brief dip.I've seen and heard of this happening before and most certainly will correct itself in time. :grouphug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minaku Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 *hides* You want me to actually discuss something? Umm... umm... besides baby/diaper/feeding/etc talk I got nothing. :(Ok, that's a lie, I can still talk Greek politics and several other serious issues. The question is, do I want to use up the last of my grey matter for such topics?I flooded FB with unbelievable cuteness today, with Miltos and Alex at the beach. I even posted a video. Go check them out. :)We can talk mommy board-type things. I spend a good deal of my day chatting about baby wraps, for example. Sad, isn't it? I also set up a playdate for my kid tomorrow morning.Oh, I know. I was thinking about bringing Rowan to see Brave this past weekend. He'll be 3 in September. I'm not worried about the content in the movie. I am more concerned about the loudness of the theater and possible disruption of other people's movie experiences. He's never been to the theater before. What do you guys think? Bring him or not? Side note: we tried to watch Arietty and it was not a success, attention-wise.You're completely normal.Energy once devoted to pleasure, pastime or profession is now reinvested in your children. I imagine your mommy IQ is at genius levels now, while regular life IQ has taken a brief dip.I've seen and heard of this happening before and most certainly will correct itself in time. :grouphug:Phew. You're right - my EQ has taken a huge leap up, while my IQ has taken a proportionate drop down. Thank you. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.