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🧠 Stuck in the Middle News

Issue #178 – May 19, 2025
Because managing parents, kids, work, and your sanity shouldn't be a solo act.

🎯 When You're the Only One Who Notices

The invisible labor of paying attention to everything.

You know what's exhausting?

Not the caregiving. Not the school drop-offs. Not the juggling work Zooms with emergency calls from Mom’s assisted living.

What’s really exhausting… is being the only one who sees the damn crumbs on the counter.

The only one who notices that your dad’s memory is slipping a bit faster this week. The only one who realizes your spouse is checked out. The only one who thinks ahead to the summer camp deadline, the prescription refill, the utility bill that's about to autopay from an overdrawn account.

The mental weight of noticing—and then acting on everything you notice—is crushing.

But here's a truth you may need to hear today:

Let that land for a second.

You are not the official keeper of All Things. It’s OK to point something out and let someone else handle it. It's OK to not mention it at all. It’s even OK if it goes undone for a while.

Just because you can see everything doesn’t mean you need to do everything.

This week, try letting something be “good enough.” Or even—gasp—not done yet. Let people around you stretch their own awareness. You deserve a break from being the family’s Chief Noticer in Charge.

🔗 3 Things That Might Just Help This Week

1. The Case for “Good Enough” Parenting
   Let go of the myth that you need to be perfect for your kids to thrive.
   🔗https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1203898492
   
   2.Mental Load, According to Brain Science

   Understanding and managing mental load is crucial for caregivers. While the original TED article link is currently unavailable, the concept revolves around strategies to reduce cognitive overload, such as delegating tasks and setting boundaries. For a comprehensive overview, consider exploring resources on cognitive load theory and its applications in daily life.
   https://www.momwell.com/blog/how-partners-can-share-in-the-invisible-load

   3.Why Your Partner Doesn’t Notice the Same Stuff You Do

   The phenomenon of invisible labor in relationships highlights how one partner often takes on unnoticed tasks. While the original Washington Post article link is currently inaccessible, this topic is widely discussed in various publications and forums. Exploring literature on emotional labor and communication in relationships can provide valuable insights.

🛑 Feeling Overwhelmed?

You don’t have to keep spinning all the plates. I made a tool just for people like us:

👉 “What Can I Let Go Of?” Checklist — Just $9.99
Helps you identify what to drop, delegate, or delay—without guilt.
📥 Get it here
🔗 https://briansacks.samcart.com/products/sandwich

💬 Let’s Talk About It

What’s something you always notice… but you’re finally ready to stop owning?

Join the convo in the group:
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinthemiddlenews

We’re here with you.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS YOU CAN READ IF YOU ARE FRUSTRATED WITH A PARENT OR OLDER RELATIVE

grab a copy here https://amzn.to/3QIhlx7

If you are in this situation I think you will enjoy it!

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