feel like such a bad mum ( Christmas related)

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

sorry for the 2nd post of this evening.

DS said that my job is more important than him. That if I loved him I would be home for Christmas.

I have to work Christmas day, I am also in Christmas eve and boxing day.

I will leaving for work at 6:15am and home at 3pm.

I can not just turn up or phone in sick, I wouldn't do that. I work in a NHS hospital.

Sorry to hear that op but you are not a bad mum and you are a good person working Xmas day to help those in hospital. My own mum is a nurse and has to work Xmas day, so I will be thinking of all you NHS workers on the day.
Does your son like written timetables? You could write one out starting with get up early to open presents. I am sure he will have a fun day till you get back so you could write in fun things he will be doing with family till you get back. I agree with having a second present when you get home. He might even like to know about that? Then write down all the nice things you will do in the evening together.
AS kids often have a strong sense of what is fair, so maybe you could tell him about how the mummies and daddies have to take it in turns to work on Xmas day, one year you, next year someone else.
Anyway hope some of the ideas on this thread help a bit and that you end up having a nice day

Oh I think the written timetable is a brilliant idea!

Agree written timetable sounds an excellent idea. Would also make it clear all the lovely stuff he is doing on Boxing Day, the weekend and spread the focus our.

I've remembered we also spent a lot of time talking about who was working on Christmas day and how incredibly important they were and how great their families were to help them - I was always really proud of my mum for doing such an important job. When you start you can find loads of people working on Christmas - nurses, doctors, people that make the electricity work, policemen, TV presenters, airline pilots. TV News on Christmas day often has features on this as well that are usually fun and easy for a seven year old to understand.

Can you sit down together and watch one of those reality tv shows about a hospital and explain as you're watching about the way they have to be staffed 24 hours a day and perhaps discuss the sick people who depend on the staff being there?

Seems to be sorted now.

I have done the timetable and I have explained that mummy job is important, but he and his sister are very special and I love them very much.

Thank you all for your time

DH is off for 2 weeks, so I have also explained that they will have daddy home and daddy is going to cook so popcorn and they can watch a lovely film together.

That's great. I am sure it will go well! Hope you have a good day.