I understand why you posted OP and that you were feeling guilty about your decision, I’ve read all your posts and you are starting to annoy me now…
You are a working mother with two kids and the usual everyday tasks that need doing, how often do you get time to yourself?
Being a mother is a hard enough job and with working as well you essentially spend the majority of your life having no time to unwind and relax. This is an opportunity for you to have a bit of extra time for yourself and you should not feel guilty for choosing to take advantage of that. Just because you are a mother doesn’t mean that you never get to put yourself first and look after your own well being and mental health, I think it makes you a better parent as you will be less tired and stressed, have more patience and enjoy your time with your kids more.
The fact you are even worrying about this shows you are a good mum, you aren’t going to scar your kids for life for having the extra time in childcare, if you had to work you wouldn’t be questioning it, your kids won’t even remember this in a few months!
You obviously trust nursery to look after them whilst you are working so they will be fine when you aren’t.
You are continuously justifying decisions you’ve made as a parent on this thread to people whose opinions don’t matter, I understand this is because you are feeling guilty but you know yourself you have no reason to. You will always get people who disagree when you ask for opinions, sometimes it’s helpful to get another perspective but in this case you are just focusing on the negative posts when you don’t need to. You are making a choice that suits you and if you take advice to the contrary you are just making your own life difficult.
If you were seeking validation then you have plenty of people who support your decision and are of a similar mindset. There is no right or wrong in this situation but you don’t know peoples agenda for posting comments here, they could be jealous that you have this opportunity, just want to argue for the sake of it or have just been conditioned to believe that being a good mother means never being apart from your children.
Have you asked people you are close to and know your situation for their opinion? It’s better to take advice from people who genuinely want to support you and who want the best for you rather then strangers on the internet.
There are a million and one reasons why mothers feel guilty and most of the time it’s unnecessary. If your kids are fed, loved, happy and healthy then you are doing great, however you also need to take care of yourself, you can’t pour from an empty cup. If you don’t take this time this summer I think you will regret it later when you don’t have a minute for yourself.
It’s not like you are going abroad and leaving your kids behind, you said you have household jobs that need doing as well, it’ll be much easier for you to crack on with those when your kids are at nursery, it’s better to get on top of it now rather then having to do it whilst juggling work and entertaining small people! If not it’s just hanging over you all summer.
Men get praised for doing the bare minimum as parents but women are made to feel guilty unless they dedicate their whole lives to their children.
I maybe have a different perspective because I’m childfree, I watch my friends who are parents beating themselves up unless they put their kids before them in every single situation, society has conditioned them to feel like they have to, they feel guilty for having any wants and needs that aren’t related to parenthood. Quite often their husbands and partners do whatever they want and don’t think twice about childcare, if they look after or “babysit” their own kids they act like they deserve a medal.
Enjoy the free time, get on top of your household jobs and spend the rest doing things that make you happy, it’s a few hours a week and your kids are in nursery not down a mine!