Am I alone??

[Tisme]

I need to know if there are ANY other mums out there that don't REALLY miss their children when they are at day care??

I find it difficult to explain but I drop my kids at day care and see their happy little faces as they run off to play and don't REALLY think too much about them til it is time to pick them up. I KNow they are having fun and getting more playtime than they would if they were at home. I get more done around the house or the groceries, or the mindless stuff they find boring done. Or heaven forbid I get a social life once again.

Does that make me a bad mum .... that I don't want them under my feet 24/7 .... ?

I guess putting it that way many would ask why have kids, but I look at it as their social time and I have plenty of time with them also. I believe I am a good mum who wants to have socialable, loveable, independant children. (guess that's the ECT in me speaking out)

My Mum used to say "I gave up my life for you lot (as babies) and once you grew up I got my life back." My philosophy from that became "you are my life but why should that mean I give up being me."

[Chickadee]

You're not alone. I'm the same. Unless Chloe is not well or she's having a clingy day I don't worry about her. She loves daycare and I love her being there. I also know I'm a better mum by getting some time apart from her. When she first started daycare at 5 months of course I worried more, but after so long now, I just enjoy my days :)

[Tisme]

YEAH ..... I was beginning to think I was the worst Mum in the world cos I enjoy my time apart. Thank you for being there with me ..... Now I just hope it's not just the two of us. LOL

[whatwasithinking]

Not a bad mummy at all! When I first stopped work when preg with dd2 I left Hannah in daycare 2days aweek for 2 reasons: a)I wanted my own time and a break and b) Hannah needs the social stimulation and enjoyment. When I was home I never really gave it a thought - or maybe only when something reminded me of her IYKWIM.
Now that I have gone back to work whilst I do love both girls to death I am too busy to think about what they are doing etc - the way I look at it if there was problems childcare would ring me or I would ring them if need be - no news is good news as they say.
Don't get me wrong as I said I love my girls to death we just (Hannah and I) can't be together 24/7. Holidays are a nightmare - Hannah and me climbing the walls :eek: .

[Peaceangels]

Eleanor your not a bad mum, just a mum who needs some "me" time.

My kids are not in daycare, but DS1 starts preschool 1day a week this year, I know I will miss him, but I am looking forward to spending some one on one time with DS2.

When they do get babysat occasionally by the grandparents (usually when I have Dr appointment or shopping to do) I really enjoy my time alone and don't really think of them because I'm busy trying to cram a million things into a small amount of time IYKWIM!

What I'm trying to say is that it is normal to enjoy some "me" time every now and then, it helps us be the best "mums" we can be. It is nice to mentally switch of occasionally and not have to be on call 24/7.

[lukaelmo]

Hey there,

My situation is not really the same as little dude doesn't go to daycare, but I can relate to your feelings.

Little dude's dad works from home and I suspect I get to have a lot more ME time than other SAHMs.

Somedays, as soon as the dude goes down for his nap I pop out to do my things, and although I stressed about it at the beginning, now I can get out and about without thinking of the dude at all.

And for me, it makes me a better mum - I have all the time in the world with the dude, but I don't have to think of him 24/7.

[kez]

Eleanor, you're not a bad mummy at all as we all need me time and two days a week at care is good for them as they do need the social interactions and learn to be a bit more independant as well. I am a child care worker and a mum of three children two of them TEENAGERS OOOHHHH!!!!!!! and I work full time as well as run them to dancing, softball away every three weeks in Albury 1-2hours away for dancing and I also need ME TIME but my children went to day care two days a week and they have so many frineds and I put that down to the daycare experiences. I also ran a playgroup one day a week and once they were each at school I helped out in the class room and canteen and still had ME TIME.
My girlfriends and I used to get together once a week for morning tea together no husbands and no kids!!!!!!!!!! It was great. So keep thinking positive about the experiences you are allowing your children to have and be happy about what you do. KEZ.