Parenthood, a rewarding and enlightening experience, is also draining and demanding if the balance between self-care and parenting isn't met. The joys of parenting can quickly diminish into an endless task that can weigh you down as a parent hence why it's crucial to prioritize your mental health and own needs as a person. Despite popular belief parents are their own people before they take on the responsibility for a child, which is why their mental health plays a role in how they take care of their children. 

Balancing parenthood and mental health is a process requiring open communication, commitment and acknowledgment of the fact that the most beneficial path for harmony between a parent and child is when both have a good sense of wellbeing.  studies show that children were three times more at risk for mental health disorders and substance abuse than children whose parents weren't depressed; this highlights the importance to take care of your own needs as a parent to give your child a positive environment to grow in. 

To ensure better management of parenthood and mental health these steps can be taken: building a support system to help with personal needs and parenting struggles, communicate with your partner, setting realistic expectations with where you want to be in the future, spend quality time with your children to help with the initial guilt of prioritising your needs. In the end parenthood is a personal journey in which you have a lot of hardships along the way but ultimately is a great experience.