Feeling guilty

[AmTams1980]

Hi everyone, first time parent and first time poster. I'm just wondering what you're opinion is on my current concern?

My story: we're nearly at the end of a 4 year house refurbishment. Just finishing kitchen and bathroom, due to cost and ability where doing most of the work ourselves (hubby is a plumber/bathroom fitter so is quite capable). As is stands where living out of two rooms mainly which are bedrooms upstairs one as a living room and one as a bedroom.

We both work full time and have our first baby daughter who is 12month old.

I often feel guilty because with the house being as it is she's confined to 2 rooms and with working full time and then spending any spare time working on the house I don't feel I'm spending enough quality time with LO I feel exhausted and tend to leave her to play (I'm still in the room) I feel exhausted. I make sure all her needs are met and she's safe, she has easily met all her milestones to date but want to do more with her.

You're doing a great job!
Whatever choices you make, you always feel guilty!

12 months is very young to be ‘left to play’ imo while you’re busy refurbishing. I don’t know what you want to hear because it sounds like your busy atm and there isn’t much you can do about it until your refurbishment is done. Presumably once it is you’ll have more time.

Leaving a young toddler to play by themselves for extended periods is not meeting all their needs.

Working full time and renovating a house is, by definition, going to leave you with little time for anything else. If you want to do more with her I suppose at least one of these things has to give a bit?

Your dd is meeting her milestones so I wouldn't be too concerned. You are nearly at the end of your renovation project so this will free you up some extra time and space. It isn't easy working full time hours and being a mum, you will always feel unnecessary guilt at times. So long as your LO is happy and healthy that's the main thing, but as a parent of older children aswel as a little one...make time to enjoy them..as you will regret it later..the time when they are little is so precious...