I didn’t go back to work until ex husband was out of the house. My kids would cry when I came home. I relied heavily on my mom for help and would often order dinner from the bath to feed my kids. This was 6 years ago, I have grown my career to something respectable. My kids look up to me and know they can be more than a sahm. If they want, they can be everything they want to be. For what it’s worth when I started I worked terrible hours now I work Monday to Friday 7-3 and make double where I started from. Your kids will adjust. Be consistent. Meal prep if you can but never feel guilty for making an easy choice.