guilty...that's the question!
I started sending Gabrielle to "Crossroad's Coral" (or Kid's Day Out as many of you know it) at our church on Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. I think it will be great in the long run for both of us to have some separate time. But, in the meantime, I am feeling really guilty because I am supposed to be at home right now to take care of her, not to have "free" time for myself, while I pay for someone else to watch her during the day.
Of course, Nick has been very supportive in this whole thing, and is really the one who convinced me that it would be okay to do it. Actually, he said that it would be more than okay, and that it would be very healthy for us to both have some time apart...for me to be able to do things that I either need or want to do, and for Gabi to play with kids her age, not to mention get more comfortable being around adults other than me during the day.
Anyway...last Thursday went alright. I talked to the Director at lunch, and she said that Gabi was doing alright. But, when I went to pick her up at 1:30 p.m., she had only eaten half of her little container of food, had refused to drink any of her bottle, and hadn't taken any sort of nap. Keep in mind that she still takes a morning nap, usually about 1.5 hours and is ready for an afternoon nap by around 3:00 p.m. SO, she was crying her eyes out when I got there, and I really felt guilty for the time that I had been away from her and out of our routine (although I got several errands run in half the time and worked on a picture-project that I started way back in the summer of 2006--oops!!!).
Do the rest of you stay-home-mommies take your little angels to a "Kid's Day Out" program during the week? And if so, how long will it take for Gabrielle to adjust to new people and a different schedule?
Friday, February 29, 2008
To be, or not to be...
Posted by Theresa Walker at 5:51 AM
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2 comments:
Sydney goes... Brenna will start this summer. She'd be there already, but ours doesn't start until they are closer to a year and a half. Our MDO is from 9-3, but I pick Sydney up after lunch at 12. She refuses to nap there, so I let her enjoy her morning, then she goes right into quiet time when we get home. I still feel like it's a deal for me to get 3 hours for $10, so that's something to consider.
It IS good for you both to have time, but maybe a shorter time period would be good to start? If you feel like you could give it a couple more weeks, she might surprise you and fall into the routine there.
Good for you getting some time to yourself. Don't you dare feel guilty... everyone needs alone time. You'll be a better mommy for it. ((((hugs!))))
Theresa, I will randomly check your site and it is fun that since you've moved it is updated more frequently! Congrats on walking -- that is a big deal.
I am assuming you check our site since it is on your links. Thanks for keeping up with us and do let us know if you are in Fort Worth.
In terms of a day out program, I go to a Bible Study at our church and they have a program for the kids from 9:30 to 1:20. I've had to let the kids be on a different schedule that day. Mine don't really nap when there are other kids everywhere -- it is too exciting. So they skip their morning nap that morning and love being with all the friends, playing, and doing crafts we don't do at home. There are usually very few consequences. They fall asleep on the way home and I transfer them for their afternoon nap. My vote is that you push through the initial struggle and enjoy the day where you can get a few things done that YOU want to do. It does help the entire family! And from someone who has three kids in three years . . . we definitely need a little Mom time every so often!
By the way, I like the Focus on the Family article too. There are times when we really cannot do "it all" whatever that means.
Jennifer Loftin
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