When a close friend returned to work after maternity leave, I texted her to see how she was doing. How was she coping with juggling full-time work and caring for her firstborn?
She appeared chirpy and excited, but having gone through the newborn haze and (ongoing) struggles of returning to work myself only a year ago, my alarm bells went off.
At my insistence, she confessed: “Well… So I’ve been back to work for a week, and I thought I could manage caring for my baby and working from home, but it turned out to be so freaking hard. And now I feel like a total failure.”
Baffled, I asked her: “Who told you you could work and care for a baby at the same time? Caring for a baby is a whole other job.”
Sheepishly, she replied: “I asked ChatGPT…”
“Chat told me I just need to do this, this, and that, and I’m all set,” she said.
I rang her and for 30 minutes, she told me about all the things she relied on ChatGPT for when it came to dealing with new motherhood: Talking about her feelings, ranting about her parents and in-laws, getting tips for putting her baby to bed (which, she admitted, weren’t all that helpful), and now, advice on how to manage work and a baby.
CHATGPT LEAVES NO SPACE TO HONE YOUR MUM INSTINCT
My friend is not alone. Search “ChatGPT motherhood tips”, and you’ll find countless Instagram reels, TikTok videos, mum blogs, and forums, all praising how ChatGPT has been instrumental in helping mothers lighten their mental load.
And I get it.
Being a mum is overwhelming. There’s caring for the children, managing the house, and juggling other responsibilities. Even with a supportive, present partner, it can still feel like too much.
Hence, enter ChatGPT. The seemingly perfect companion who gives instant answers to all your questions.
It can become your counsellor, friend, or even a pseudo-psychologist. Despite the apparent risks – legal concerns and even cases of “AI psychosis”, where users experience worsening paranoia or delusions – the appeal of ChatGPT is undeniable.
