Let’s face it: being a parent is a big f’ing deal. It requires you to be highly responsible, organized and compassionate. Every day, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. For at least 18 years.

Photo Credit: https://bit.ly/2Hean1C

Honestly, this feels like *a lot* some days. And by a lot, I mean that when I rub the sleep out of my eyes, I’m already wondering how on earth I’m going to get it all done. My enmeshed work and parenting to-do lists pique my anxiety, which propels me out of bed and towards the coffee pot, but thinking of all I need to do does nothing to help me prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally for the day ahead. It goes without saying that I adore my family, but I still wonder how can I be a sustainable adult when all I want to do is not talk to a single soul, climb back in bed, and binge on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?

My twins are now old enough to get dressed and handle their own bathroom regimens, but I still remember the challenges of being a new mom. When dirty diapers (x2) needed changing, the girls’ squalls indicated healthy bowels and optimal digestion. That should have felt like a win for any parent! Instead, though, I felt every jagged edge of their cries. I hadn't had a full night’s sleep in about four years, my first instinct was to clap my hands over my ears and also start screaming. I loved being a mother, and loved my girls, but darned if I didn’t want to throw myself off a cliff sometimes!

It wasn’t until I acknowledged that hey, being a parent can and does make me anxious. To other parents out there, you can relate to the “this is too much please send help!” feeling, right?

This is where the pot comes in.

My stress levels and ability to be a high functioning super mom all changed when I re-discovered mama’s little helper that starts with a C and ends with an S. That’s right, cannabis. I used to partake before having kids, but stopped once I became a mother due to health risks and warnings (though pregnant folks using cannabis to control their morning sickness and manage discomfort is a thing!)

Around 2016, after the election (won’t go into that!), I started micro-dosing with edibles and tinctures, and even had the occasional puff from a CBD cartridge. Can you say

G-A-M-E-C-H-A-N-G-E-R?

Here’s five ways bringing cannabis into my life has helped me be the best mom I can be:

1. Say Yes to Playtime! Weed makes me more apt to be silly and creative with my kids. We color, read, play pretend, do puzzles — and before weed, I noticed I said no to many of these moments because I was so exhausted. Weed actually gives me creative energy to then spend bonding with my children and being inspired by their brilliance.

2. Creative Cooking :: I love to cook, but man, it can be a drag to be constantly cooking. However, when weed’s gently stimulated my appetite, I get inspired to make delicious things that are bright, nutritious, and have a ton of crunchy texture or buttery goodness (or both!) I find that cannabis guides my hand in the kitchen and produces some meals that I wouldn’t hesitate to plop down in front of a culinary diva like Anthony Bourdain.

3. Goodbye to Owies:: In addition to all the daily aches and pains of bending down to gather my kids to me, or pick up endless trails of miscellany, I have serious chronic pain from an old break in my back after a boating accident. CBD in particular has helped me quit taking daily painkillers, which made me fuzzy and I’m convinced increased my overall irritability. Not needing to use pharmaceuticals makes me a more consistently available parent, which I think is a primary reason to make the switch.

4. Elevated Empathy & Mood :: Cannabis is a well-known anti-anxiety aide and depression buster. I can’t thank Mary Jane enough in this department. Remember earlier when I was talking about wanting to fling myself off the cliff when my kiddos needed something? I find that with even a tiny amount of cannabis in my system, I’m able to access my natural empathy much more easily. Counterintuitively, I also find myself with more energy at the end of the day if I’ve been micro-dosing. Perhaps this is because my body isn’t working so hard to combat pain and other stressors. Most people think weed locks you to your couch or bed, but I actually find the opposite to be true (depending on the dose, of course.)

5. Remembering Self-Care :: Sometimes, you just need to take a break. Cannabis helps me feel where my limits are, so I’m not always going, going, going. It’s a calming agent, which helps me slow down, maybe do some yoga or meditate. One of my favorite ways to unwind is to take a luxurious cannabis-infused Epsom salt soak. It soothes my muscles and I sleep like a baby afterwards. Sleep is crucial for me to being a Good Mom. Sleep is crucial for me in being kind to my dear partner. It’s really just a non-negotiable part of the process. Having a bit of tincture or an edible helps me get to and stay asleep, but again, a small dose means I’ll have no difficulty waking up in the night if one of my daughters needs support.

Mothering is hard work. Period. There have been moments where I’ve looked in the mirror and asked, “Girl, what happened?” I had a whole life before my children, and do occasionally yearn for the days and nights where I felt fabulous and free.

Okay, I know I said I’d share my five reasons why cannabis is Mama’s BFF, but I’ll add a sixth, because why not –

Cannabis helps me channel my Inner Queen!

Though it’s easy to forget with daily chores banging me in the head as soon as I wake up, I am a Queen and I deserve to feel like one as I go about my business, raising my kids, bringing home the bacon, and being a loving, compassionate babe for my babe.

Cannabis gives me mood boosts, freedom from major aches and pains, and most importantly, makes me want to have fun. I play more, I eat well, and generally feel able to handle whatever life throws at me with a little bit of cannabis in my purse.

For me, having cannabis in my Momma Arsenal is a no-brainer. And when my 11-year old daughters ask me about it (which they have), I am open with them – not just about the benefits of cannabis but the heavy reliance Americans have on many pharmaceuticals that simply aren’t good for us. Children need education and positive modeling so they learn to take care of themselves, and moreover, that they have choices (when they’re 18, duh) about how they do that.

Choices, people. Cannabis is one choice that’s been overwhelmingly positive for me, and has led to great changes in my ability to parent from a place of love, rather than stress and anxiety. Given all the innovative ways one can consume cannabis (without ever having to smoke it again!) what’s not to love?

Andrea Burnett runs a lifestyle pr firm. She lives and works in Northern California with her partner, Barb their twins Ava and Sophia and their two rambunctious cats, Lyle and Rye.