Busy Woman Wonders If She’s a ‘Bad’ Mom for Not Bringing Son to Soccer Practice

A woman is wondering if she is a “bad” mom because of her inability to bring her young son to his soccer practice that falls on her busiest day of the week.

In a post on the U.K.-based forum Mumsnet, the mother explained that she and her ex-partner share three children — including a son who is “a really good” athlete.

According to the woman, her ex signed their son up for the sport, but he hasn’t been proactive in bringing the child to the trainings himself, instead handing over the responsibility.

The mother, who detailed her family has “a busy schedule” due to work and her other kids similarly being involved in athletics, also has a baby with another man, who she said “works away,” leaving her “home all weekdays alone.”

“I’m so proud of [my son], BUT it now turns out that training is the one day in the week I have the three children (we share half-and-half), so I’m expected to take a baby [and] a 6-year-old to training every week that’s half [an] hour away,” the woman wrote in her post.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Further explaining that she has “no family to help,” but her ex-partner “has lots” to offer assistance, the mother added that the soccer games “are at least 4 to 5 hours away.”

She said “the cost” is another factor that makes being a sports mom difficult for her. “I just can’t afford to do this, as I’ll have to stay in hotels, etc. … [and] I’ll probably have to take the baby sometimes,” the woman wrote.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The mother then said that she knows making these sacrifices is “in the interest” of her son, but she “can’t logically see how I can do it.”

“But I feel like [my son] will make out I’m a bad mother if I don’t,” she continued, adding: “I’m just exhausted with all the other games and things they play every week as it is.”

In the comments section of the post, many other Mumset users sided with the woman, believing that her ex should play a more active role in their son’s soccer habits — especially since he was the one to get the child involved with the sport in the first place.

“He signed him up, he makes it happen. Just lean back and don’t try to make this happen, it’s too much for you. You don’t need to fix this,” one user wrote.

Another said, “Ex signed your son up to an activity without asking you for help in managing the activity on the one day ex knows ex can not take him? That’s an ex problem, not your problem.”

The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!

Others, meanwhile, asked the woman if there was any way to find a middle ground between herself and her ex-partner, so they could share the responsibilities and let their son continue taking part in the sport.

“Can you not flex the arrangements a bit, so your ex takes him?” one commenter asked, as another posed, “Can ex’s family take him and you swap days so he has custody that day?”