DENVER — As of five months ago, Katie Facchinello is a mother of two.
Her oldest is 2-year-old, and she says adding another kid into the mix makes it "so incredibly hard."
"It's wonderful, of course, but I can't believe how stressful it is - so much that I had to get my first mouth guard because I'm grinding my teeth every night," she says. "I turn around and it feels like (the 2-year-old) is on top of the fridge.
Facchinello considers herself lucky to have help that many others don't; she has a partner in her husband and a mother-in-law who babysits the kids and helps make dinner. But the help contributes to the stress, in a sense.
"It almost makes me feel more guilty," she says. "It feels good, but it almost feels worse, in that I should be able to do it on my own."
Facchinello happens work for the Colorado Department of Human Services, and therefore knows she isn't alone in that way of thinking.
While social media posts often give the impression of a perfect life, one in five parents in Colorado say they have no one to turn to for needed emotional support. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the perfect time to start a conversation about realness of parenting.
"Parenting is hard. Parenting is overwhelming. It's okay, it's hard for all of us," says Jane Woodard with Illuminate Colorado, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for and the safety of children. "Ask for help."
Facchinello and Woodard stopped by Next with Kyle Clark to talk about the steps someone can take to prevent a struggle from turning into tragedy, like family resource centers or counselors.
And if you do feel a situation has become a serious concern, call 1-844-CO-4-KIDS or visit http://www.co4kids.org/ to report neglect and abuse. Facchinello and Woodard say people shouldn't be afraid to make a call; you don't have to know for sure something bad has happened. A call won't mean children are removed from a home.
Watch our full interview below.
It's okay to be honest about the struggles of parenthood. Share yours with us on the Next Facebook page, with #HeyNext or email next@9news.com.
