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Parents' Guilt

christineirion

christineirion

christineirion
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
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Are there others out there like me who always have something in the back of their mind that they feel they should be doing better as a parent? Between work, family, home and day-to-day life, we can't always be supermoms!


So what's your little nagging guilt right now?


Mine is that I know I'm letting my sons use their iPads too much. I'm tired after a long day of work and it's so nice to have them quiet and entertaining themselves! But....I need to scale their use back.
 
During the summer I feel guilty for just wanting to relax a bit at home with no plans. My girls want me to be an entertainment director 24/7 (they are 13 and 9). It's the first thing they ask every day. But going out means spending money and I'm trying not to do that either. (We added 4 sets of braces and college for our oldest to our budget this year so we are adjusting financially)! My 13 to will tell me every day what her friends are doing - shopping, movies, water park, vacation etc - I think she feels a bit slighted but that's life. And they don't do/have electronics except tv...So, they tend to mope around if something specific isn't planned and it makes me a little crazy...and grumpy.
 
Ohhh understand you both..... can we play with the iPads .....yes please.....want to have some quiet time :-) also I don not want to be the "playteacher". I make plans to do something together and then we do our seperate things we want to do..... When it's good weather my girls play outside with their friends and feel quilty when I'm glad to have some me-time :giggle
 
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I know exactly where you are coming from Christine!!!

I am feeling parental guilt because I couldn't keep a promise. Its my youngest daughters last year at Primary School and I made the mistake of saying I would come to as many school events as I could as its all "the last time you will ....." BUT the Athletics carnival was held this week on a WEDNESDAY ... the only day of the week I CAN NOT get off work arghghghghghg! And of course she won two ribbons and beat the boys in their race as a ring in .... she looked at me so sadly when i picked her up from school and said ...."mum, I really wish you had been there" ........... KNIFE.IN.THE.HEART people!!
 
My guilt is the same as your Christine.... too much time playing on their computers and not enough time playing outside!
 
Mine is definitely allowing to much game time. It's the only way I can get things done around here. It's one of the reasons I am looking forward to school starting again because it's so much easier limiting their time.
 
Mine is TV time... sometimes to get some dishes done, sometimes so I can finish a kit before deadline. This week's because we're moving and I can't pack unless they're in front of the TV!!
 
Ten million things. Even though my daughter is an adult, I still feel guilty for things I might have done differently/better.

Right now she's bummed because she really has no friends. It is hard for her to be a mom when everyone else she knows is out having fun. I try to tell her that the people out partying/drinking all of the time aren't always the best long-term friends anyway, but it is still hard. I suggested she sign up for a mom/kid group, but then they all meet during the day and she works... so it is kind of a rough time for her.
 
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