Mom Confessions: How I Dodge Mom Guilt One School Day at a Time by Morgan Hawthorne

I was that mother who decided to stay home during the day to raise my children and work at night. Every minute was absolutely consumed with their every needs and wants and that drove the direction of every day – and that was perfectly fine with me! Well, this year my youngest child started kindergarten, so after 10 years of being with my babies all day I am now alone while the kids are in school and my husband is at work. 

I wept uncontrollably for the first week, catching my tears in my coffee as I watched my babies get on that bus and leave me. I would walk around in circles at my house as if in a daze trying to decide what to do with myself. Now that we are a month into the school year I have finally turned a corner and have decided that I love my days alone. 

I enjoy the time with my children so much more when they get home, and all of a sudden family time became that much more special. At first I felt so very guilty for being happy to be alone, but now I am banning that mom guilt! I dedicated 10 years to staying with them all day and worked horrible night hours on no sleep. Now I'm free to do whatever I want, and you know what? I've decided that's more than OK. It's amazing!