Mum Guilt

Rachel Hawley-Thomas

rachel.gabsbitesizeblogs@gmail.com

School holiday can be filled with fun and laughter, but for mums it can also be filled with guilt.

I have been a mum for 18 years now and every year that has gone by I have had mum guilt for not being able to spend every day of the school holidays out of the house, taking my kids on holidays or even just days out.

But one thing that lessens the mum guilt is hearing my children happy, even if that means they aren't spending time with me.

Currently my youngest and eldest are off with their grandad for 5 nights away in his caravan, and my middle one is off with his other grandad next week for a week volunteering at a festival to gain some valuable skills.

I'm grateful that my children have grandparents they like spending time with and they can have time with them to make memories of their own.

So many mums just don't have the money to spend everyday taking their kids here, there and everywhere but there are lots of things that families can do that doesn't cost money - having a movie day cuddled up on the sofa, maybe a water fight in the garden or even just a walk in the local park.

Society has told us time and time again we must take our kids abroad and to theme parks etc, because how can a child be happy if we don't explore the world with them, but what does it take to make a child happy?

To me happiness is feeling loved and days filled with laughter! So as long as my children feel that then the mum guilt becomes smaller.

And what does love and laughter cost?

Absolutely nothing!