Missing out on Garden Fun

My friends who are stay-at-home moms take their children to the garden almost every single day. While the children play in the sand and on the slides and swings, the mothers (most of them) catch up with their own set of “garden friends” or dotingly keep an eye on their l’il one.
However, because the ideal garden timings (4-7 pm) don’t fit in my schedule, my son misses out on this fun. I’ve often felt miserable about this especially when I know that I could be investing this time in my child than being stuck in a traffic jam while driving back from work. The guilt worsens when I see little ones happily treading back home with their mothers with balloons and sand kits in their hands.
But I do try to make up for this loss on weekends and other holidays. I try to prioritize time out with my child on these days even if it is at the cost of a few chores. Chores at home never end but the beautiful toddler years of my son’s life will soon fly.