Especially the ones you have in your head, with yourself.
Friday was Liam's first ever daycare field trip. he was so excited to be going on a school bus to see animals at Saunders Country Critters. Being a full time working mom and with it being the middler of summer when everyone wants holiday time, I was unable to get the time off work to go with him. Of course, as many of you can well imagine, this triggered my "Mommy Guilt" instincts. And started the argument in my head.
"If I was a SAHM, I would have been able to go with him," I thought.
"That's stupid, if I was a SAHM, he wouldn't be in daycare to go on a field trip," I reminded myself.
"But if I was a SAHM, I could do things like this with him all the time," I pointed out.
"But he wouldn't get to go on the bus and have all the friends that he has at daycare. And without a paycheque, I wouldn't be able to afford to do things with him all the time," I argued.
It went back and forth like this for awhile until I finally realized that I was never going to win the argument. There is no perfect situation, just the one that is best for our family. Me working full time and having Liam in daycare is the best situation for us right now. We need the paycheque, I love my job and Liam loves daycare.
And for the record, there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for me to feel bad about not going on the field trip with Liam as Henry did take the day off to go along. Liam was thrilled to have Daddy going with him and I was happy that they were getting to have this day together, but "Mommy Guilt" doesn't always look at things in the more realistic manner!
Mommy guilt is there whether you work or not. I am staying home with the boys, which is great, but they'll probably have to get student loans to go to university because we won't be able to afford to pay for it for them with me not working.
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