Mommy guilt trip

Boy, does baby girl nkow how to lay on a guilt trip. The other night, Daddy and I went on a little date. I told Baby Bear that we were going to dinner and she says, "You're going to dinner without me?" She was so upset and proceeded to tell me, "But I miss you soooo much." We had just spent every waking moment together the entire weekend. There was only 1 hour that I was gone and out of her sight when I went to the gym on Saturday morning. We started to leave and she put on the tears and repeated how much she was going to miss me. It was sad, but at the same time I knew she was being manipulative. I did feel so guilty, the guilt I feel for being a working mother.

I think I do a decent job of manaing my work-family commitments. There are definitely times when I wish I could do more with her, for example. I wish I could do another session of swim lessons like I had planned. We did one full 2 week session and took the afternoons off for 2 weeks to take her to swim lessons and have mommy-daughter time. I had planned to sign her up for another session of swim lessons, but could not make it work out for a second 2 week session. It shouldn't be a big deal because she did get to take lessons, but I feel bad and guilty about it.

From her last day of swim lessons last month.



Jumping off the diving board.



Baby Bear loved having swim lessons with her instructor Michael.



Little 3 years olds can be so challenging and so smart. She sure knows how to put on the tears and make me feel bad. She will pout and get so angry when she doesn't get her way. At the same time that she is making me feel guilty, I am pretty impressed with her intelligence and how smart she is to work so hard to get what she wants. The things she will say and do to get her way is very creative. God help me!