I think the answer for me is it depends. It depends on the age of the child and it depends on the length of the separation.

Personally I have never left my children overnight, this is a choice that my husband and I have made. I am expecting my 3rd child and my oldest is 10.

We have left our children on occasion for an evening, but we do not do this often either. It seems like many parents today think their freestyle life of going out without children should continue even after children are here. We feel that the best people to raise and be with our kids is us. I am a SAHM and we have made a number of financial sacrifices for that to happen, but I feel that children are only little for a short time and that all the sacrifices I make are worth it for them.

Of course I don't feel guilty. Why would anyone even ask? There's nothing to feel "guilty" about if a mother has to get out and go to work or needs a little time to herself.

I'm kind of surprised so many people say they don't feel even a little bit guilty about leaving their child. I feel enormous guilt and sadness even when dropping her off at school. For many years I worked full time and hated every single minute of being away from her. I was finally able to quit when she was four and have been a stay at home mom ever since. I cherish every second I have with her because I know soon enough she will be gone away to college, then marriage, etc. I'm happy in one way to see her growing up but so sad in another way. I get plenty of time to myself at home during the day and can't wait to see her when she gets home. Some women can handle the away time better then me I guess.

I don't feel guilty, but maybe that's because I never leave her overnight or with anyone that I don't trust completely. I'm a FTM, but everyone needs to go to dentist appointments, or has surgery, or just really wants to go out on a date with their significant other every once in a while. I don't feel guilty about doing things for my health or the health of my relationship, b/c it will all benefit my daughter in some way. And like I said, I only leave her with people I completely trust.

It was harder to leave my son when he was younger, but I never really had to leave him long enough to feel terribly guilty, or with anyone that I didn't completely trust. I was incredibly lucky to be a Stay-at-Home and then a Work-at-Home mom, so when I did have to leave him it was generally for a short amount of time and usually with a grandparent.

Actually, I was the one who was clingy!

On her first day of Kindy, my daughter strode into her classroom & said, "Bye, Mom!" without even looking back! I managed (I think, don't remember anymore) to hold in the tears 'til I got back to the car!

She has actually encouraged me to spread MY wings!

I don't like the question. Feeling guilty and feeling sad are two totally different questions. I feel sad but certainly not guilty.

I need a "sometimes" option. I was a WOHM for the first 3 years of DD's life, and now am a SAHM. There were days that I felt awful about dropping her off at DC, but getting out of debt and knowing she was going to spend the day with her friends having fun made it better. Now as a SAHM, to be honest, she and I get "tired" of each other if we spend too much time together. Every relationship needs time apart to experience different things.

Besides, if I never left her, I would never hear, "Mommy!!!!!!!!!!! I missed you! Guess what I did today?"

I wish there were more than just the two options.

Do I feel guilty about leaving my little one? Most of the time, no. Occasionally, yes.

Do I feel guilty about NOT feeling guilty about it? Yes! I feel like I "should" feel bad about leaving my son, which makes me feel like I must be a bad mom. I'm supposed to be upset, I'm supposed to feel sad, I'm supposed to feel guilty...but I actually often feel a little relieved. That makes me feel guilty.

I often feel guilty about leaving my 1 year old daughter, but I do understand that I have to leave her sometimes and that if I don't early on, there will be big troubles later on! My heart does break when I leave her, especially now that she SCREAMS when I walk away.