Does anyone else have mommy guilt?

zgdsmith

I have serious mommy guilt lately. I feel terrible every time I leave the house and my son (just turned 2). I work M-F 8-4 and I try and do classes late in the evening so that he is going to bed shortly after I have to leave for class. Currently I take classes at the gym Monday-Thursday and Saturday mornings. We swim as a family on Sunday mornings and sometimes Friday evenings.

I'm very blessed to have a wonderful supportive husband. During the winter (works construction so he's off in the winter) he stays home with our son. Which is wonderful for them to spend so much time together and it saves us a lot of money on child care. Maybe I’m just jealous that he gets to do a lot of fun things with him during the week while I’m at work. They do swimming at the Y, story time, play at the park, etc.

I know there’s not much I can do to fix the mommy guilt I’m just wondering if anyone else feels like this. Also, does it get any easier once kids get a little older?

Oh and to top it all off this morning when I left he kissed me and walked over to hubby shrugged his sholders and said “mommy has to go to workey”?!?

llacos54

BEEN THERE.. WENT TO GYMRIGHT AFTERWORK.. TRIED TO BE WITH MY GIRLS AS SOON AS I WAS DONE... BUT IT HURTS TO KNOW THAT MAJORITY OF YOUR TIME IS SPENT AWAY FROM THEM...TRIED WORKING OUT AT HOME BUT MY GIRLS WOULD JOIN IN AND PUSH ME OUT OF THE WAY.. SO THAT DIDNT HELP EITHER...

three36love

I feel the SAME way. However, once my kid turned 7, she started loving going to the kid's club at my gym and now she begs me to go to the gym every day. I lost the guilt since she's having fun, and its only for an hour or so, and it gets us both out of the house and off the couch!

Maybe when your son is older, it'll be this way for you too.

tlschlp

I'll preface this by saying this might not be a popular position, but ....

I have found over the years that I am a more effective parent BECAUSE I work! I think that by working and "doing my own thing" for a short amount of time per day/week (let's face it, 1 hour out of 24 for workouts is a "short amount of time") will not hurt your relationship with your children unless you want it to!

I have 3 sons, now aged 23, 16 & 16 ... and we have a great relationship! When they had concerts or days off of school or other activities (field trips, scout events, etc), I tried to re-arrange my schedule so that I would be there for them. I put them first, but if I had to work or wanted to workout, they were also respectful of that (and still are).

Yes, in too short a time they will be "grown up" and on their own. However, they don't have to be out of your life!

So, make your time with your children meaningful and not guilt-ridden and it will stay with them for a lifetime (and, you will have much more fun during the time you spend with them).

Good luck.

zgdsmith

I guess lately I just feel like i'm always running out the door. It seems like i'm either leaving for work or the gym....

tlschlp

I guess lately I just feel like i'm always running out the door. It seems like i'm either leaving for work or the gym....

You might feel that way because that is what you are concentrating on. Instead, think about all the times you have with your son. Plus, you are working out to get healthy so that you can be more active and have more fun with (and for) your son!

Time to look at the glass as half full, not half empty!

zgdsmith

I guess lately I just feel like i'm always running out the door. It seems like i'm either leaving for work or the gym....

You might feel that way because that is what you are concentrating on. Instead, think about all the times you have with your son. Plus, you are working out to get healthy so that you can be more active and have more fun with (and for) your son!

Time to look at the glass as half full, not half empty!

Good point! Thanks!