just accepted a job offer and now i'm panicking about my DCs

[haveanothercreamcake]

I'm over the moon i've got a job, and its only a 25 hour a week job, so i dont need childcare for school days. But what about school holidays? How can i stop feeling like a rubbish mum because I have to put my DCs in childcare instead of being with them like I always wanted to be? My Dcs are 5 and 6.

they will be fine; they old enough to go in holiday clubs/camps look on local council website under holiday playschemes.

think of benefits - money, your self esteem, your confidence - all will make you better parent not worse.

you will still bewith them evenings weekends holidays ... you not giving them up for adoption .

(all this talk about kate not "letting a nanny bring up her child" that is nonsense - she WILL need childcare for all those royal engaggements and hairdresser appointments - of course she is goign to sue childcare coz granma isnt going to be availabel all the time.... - giving your children over to someon else for a few hours childcare is NOT giving them to someone else to rear. you will still be totally in charge of their upbringing. and they will have a blast at holiday playschemes....

well said cest I echo every word OP - that is how it has been for me with one DS who is 8 now and loves the holiday play schemes. Well done on the job - you deserve it. The hours sound great - I have to work more than that but tend to work slightly shorter ones in the schools hols as my employer is flexible which is great.

Will they resent me for not being there like I always have before?
Or am i beating myself up for no reason?

they bound to say things from time to time like "why do i have to go to holiday club?" but you jsut say "because i need to work so that we can ahve money to do xxx/have a great holiday/xxx/whatever next week; and you will have a great time"

so no dont beat yourself up.

teach them about how you get money to pay for things - you work you get paid you get money you have food to eat and nice stuff ...

Thank you both of you, you've really helped make me feel better. I know i'm doing the right thing by working, but i really didnt expect the guilt.

OP there have been times that I wanted to take time off and DS wants to go to the holiday club esp. during the one week holidays - there are so many clubs to choose from, maybe make it part of fun picking which one together. I actually think my DS would be bored if he was with me all the time and I like to think I am a fun and active mum they like spending time with friends especially when they get a bit older. Your sound the perfect age to start attending - when you see those smiley faces when you pick them up you will know everything is going just great for you all.

99.9% of the time my DD loves holiday clubs I do work really hard to get a mix of things. This summer she is 9 has 13 days multi activity, 7 days with professional netball coaches, 4 days dance camp and 5 days survival camp with overnight camp out and cooking over open fire. I had a week at the start of the holidays and then 3 days at the end with her too. Any more than that she's bored with me.
Yes probably doing the same camp day in day out for 6 weeks she would be fed up, but some intensive Internet searching in Feb and I had a good variety for her,

My parents both worked full time when we were growing up. I remember being shifted between family/friends and a few different childminders and holiday clubs.

I don't resent my parents for any of it! I met new friends and got to go play whilst my parents worked hard in order to make the weekends fun.

Congratulations on getting your job, I hope it is great for you

I'm on my own with children of 6 and 2 and have always worked, even before ex and I split. You will be absolutely fine and so will they.

My boy doesn't need to go to holiday club, but I have booked him a few days because he enjoys going and otherwise would be bored. He has always gone and enjoyed it. He doesn't like going 8-6 5 days a week, but half sessions and/or 2-3 days a week, he really enjoys it.

You are only feeling guilty because it means a change of habit and kids can be a bit distabilised by it, but as soon as they realised it is fun, they adjust very quickly.