An alternate thought — maybe she just wants a break from her child to take care of herself, like take a shower? The socialisation thing is a lie, of course, but could be one she tells herself to assuage her mum guilt? If she’s taken him to a good daycare and didn’t have other options eg. family close by, consider that she’s just trying to help herself find a village, even if it’s paid for. Throughout human history, motherhood was never supposed to be “done” alone; it’s a myth in the Western world today that mums have to do it in isolation, but many of us live in such individualised silos these days that services like these are the only option. If I’ve learned one thing from matrescence, it’s “put your own oxygen mask on first”.
