Yes, I know. It is one of my favourite subjects. I think I might have touched this one before. But hey, reruns make people get some more.
Why do mothers (at least in Sweden) think that kindergarten is such a bad thing? Or they do not think it is bad bad., more that they think their children should be less time there. And be where I ask?
In Sweden many women (including myself) have taken the decision to get an education and some kind of career going (LOL). To be dependent of a man is not an alternative. When we become parents, something happend that we had not calculated for feelings erupt and our stubborn principles get totally turned up-side down. And thank God for that!
But when we have left our pink clouds of baby bliss and we are heading back to cold work of sharp elbow career-hunting grounds, we all of a sudden some part of us thinks that we cannot like it and enjoy it. That we actually become bad mothers for liking our jobs and every second our offsprings are in the care of qualified and well educated pedagogues, we should be stabbed and dragged after and under a massive veichle.
Wether our reasons for working is pure joy or a monetary issue, or most probably a combination, our kids will not die or love us less for leaving them with highly trained professionals.
There are two exceptions to this rule:
1) The one I touch the other week. When you do not have a job to go to and you still leave your kid at kindergarten more than the three hours that you are allowed (in Sweden). Me not like you.
2) If you actually want to be more with your kid(s). Then you should. Just do it.
I do not work part time to minimise the time my children are at daycare (even if it becomes a natural consequence). I do it because I can (financially) and I want. Not to send a scilent message that I am a more devoted mother than my sisters. I make a choice that I feel is the best for me when looking back on my earthly hours. All the other hours (unless when they are with their father) they have a great time at kindergarten.
Your children are fine, as long as you are.
Louise Dock 
That is AMAZING!! The difference between what you describe and how it is in the USA. Here, kindergarten is like first grade used to be. The children usually can read after kindergarten. I personally think that they should get to play some during kindergarten like I did when I was little. Most of the mothers I know work. No one blames them or thinks the kids are worse off. The mom across the street teaches my 6th grade daughter science at school and is my older daughters volleyball coach!! Most people have to have two incomes. If I did not heave health issues, I would work part time. That is just the way it is now.
There is almost a reverse attitude here, in that, if you are a stay at home mom, some people think you are wasting your education. The working mom’s sometimes look down on moms that stay at home.
I agree with you. Mom’s should do what they want, if there is a choice financially. But the kids will be fine. Most people here have them in preschool early on, here, because it is thought to be “good” for the kids and it gives the moms a break. When I homeschooled my kids, I still had the younger ones in the Mother’s Day Out program at our church, two mornings a week, to make it easier for me to teach my older kids.
Hmm… Undrar just vem som gav dig inspiration till detta inlägg…? 😉
ja, vem kan det ha varit…. Iallafall, inget dåligt samvete ska man ha. Barn i fyraårsåldern är bråkiga (med sina föräldrar ibland) med eller utan dagis.
Kunde inte sagt det bättre själv Louise! Detta ständiga dåliga samvete som vi själva – och andra – lägger på oss!