Am I being mean sending my child to preschool on my non working days ?

[Sleepingworries]

Just wondering if I’m being a mean mum here as other peoples assumptions have made me worry.

I work 3 days a week and my ILs look after my toddler while I’m at work. My toddler is now old enough for preschool and I’ve booked my toddler into preschool on my 2 non working days. This just means I get a
bit of a break, time for me so I can do things like go to the gym.

When I’ve been telling people about my child starting preschool, the majority have assumed that it will be on the days I’m working and look quite shocked when I say it’s the days I’m off.

It’s now making me question if I’m being selfish by having those days to myself ? Am I doing something unusual ?

Well that's unusual then. MAJORITY of preschool aren't full time childcare open those hours

In my experience there'll be plenty of opportunity for "me time" when children go to school. At least I can look back in the knowledge that I spent as much time with my children as possible as they were growing up.

Won't you be at work?

And depending on age gap on kids that could mean10/15 years without me time by the time they've gone to school

Anyway is it just the amount of time spent with the kid important rather than the quality of it.?

Is it better for the kid to be indoors with a parent that's in need of time for themselves or with one that's " filled their own cup" and is fresh to enjoy the time with child so although there might be less time the parent is happier/ refreshed with benefits the child

Sorry OP, I think this is strange. Why are you avoiding your child? He/she spends more time with in-laws than you.

@Timeforachange26 The OP works P/T and for various periods of my working life, I too work/worked P/T, so no, not always at work. I can't imagine arranging things when working P/T for my child/children to be away when I was free but that's just my experience. It seems strange to me but each to their own.

What about the in laws?Are they still happy doing 3 days and OP none?And why bring the Dad into it?Presumably he works full time.

I think it's cheeky that you've booked them into preschool on your days off, whilst still expecting your ILs to do the other the days. If your child was at preschool every weekday, I would see no problem. It's not something I would have done (I didn't even like my kids having to go to school because, strange as it may seem to most mothers, I liked my children and wanted to spend as much time with them as I could), but I don't see a problem if other mothers want to have "me time". The only issue is the fact that your ILs are doing the bulk of the childcare, whilst preschool are doing the rest, and you're doing very little when you could do more and give your ILs a break (they've already raised a family. It's their time to rest!)

I used to love spending time with my toddlers. Previous days that go by so quickly.

I'm a bit confused. Don't people have children so that they can spend lots of time with them? Why have them otherwise?