Lately I just feel like the most horrible mother there is. Right this moment, I'm online chatting with all of you, while my daughter sits downstairs watching a movie all by herself.

I've been unemployed since January and you would think I would use that time to spend quality time with my daughter. Nope. I lay in bed all morning until maybe 11:00 or noon. She watches PBS all morning, then plays with her toys on her own. Then I might play with her a little bit, mabye take her to the park, but then it's naptime, and then dinner time....we never really have any "fun" time together.

And I haven't really been teaching her anything. We don't sit down and do a little lesson or anything like that. She's learning, and she's a smart kid, but I feel like I should be doing more.

She just ends up watching way too much TV. I feel like she was better off at daycare every day than sitting at home rotting with me.

The thing is, I *know* what I need to do, but I don't actually *DO* it. Why am I like that? I don't know. It's the same in other areas of my life - like weight loss - I know I need to just put down the fork and pick up the dog's leash and go for a walk, but do I do that? No. With my husband, I know I need to pick up around the house and do little nice things for him and it would make him appreciate me, but do I do that? No.

Why don't I do what I know I should do?

How can I be a better mother?