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Post by ReneeW on Mar 5, 2012 10:07:04 GMT -6
OK, so my DH and I are going to be traveling to SE Asia for my brother-in-law's wedding. We'll be gone for a week, and my parents will be staying at our house with our kids, ages 7 and 4. I can tell that my little sweeties are getting worried about us being gone. They're more clingy than usual, act out here and there, etc. ... and of course I feel mommy guilt about being gone from them for so long!!
I realize that the week will ZOOM by and that my parents will spoil them and they'll have a BLAST. But -- if any of you have ideas of what I could do to make the separation time easier on them, that'd be great. I was thinking of making fun little cards for them to open each day, like "Mommy and Daddy are thinking of you and love you! X more days 'til we're home!" kind of a thing -- or will that make it worse?? Anyway, I'm trying to brainstorm some ideas and would love to hear yours! We will have Skyping ability so plan to do that for sure. TIA!
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Post by sharon on Mar 5, 2012 10:21:07 GMT -6
How exciting! I hope you have a great trip!
I'd make a chart of calendar where they can check off (or put a sticker on) each day you are gone, so they can see the end getting closer and closer.
I'd also minimize talking about it beforehand. They are probably not able to imagine what it will feel like and over-talking can just increase anxiety. It's important for them to know that's it's happening and who will care for them, etc. But I just wouldn't keep talking about it any more than absolutely necessary. (At least with my kid - every kid is different, but this would just freak my kid out)
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Post by nevaehsmom327 on Mar 5, 2012 10:41:17 GMT -6
We went on our honeymoon for TWO WEEKS...which seemed like forever and a day before the trip. Once we were on the trip, it FLLEEEW by!
I think the card idea is a great one! I dunno that I'd put days on there, but just giving them a quick "MOMMY AND DADDY LOVE YOU" card would let them know you are thinking of them. That and maybe give them a picture they can bring around with them of you two.
Overall, I think we as parents overthing it, and over analyze how they'll respond to us being gone when in reality, they're probably less worried about it than we are.
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Post by deannemdm on Mar 5, 2012 11:40:27 GMT -6
You may want to read "the Kissing Hand" it is the story of young raccoon going to school and his mom kisses his hand so that he can put it to his cheek and get a kiss whenever he wants. You know best if this would help things or make it worse.
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Post by ReneeW on Mar 5, 2012 11:53:01 GMT -6
LOVING the ideas. Thanks!! Keep 'em coming!!!  |
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Post by dara1012 on Mar 5, 2012 14:04:44 GMT -6
DS is younger but when we go out of town and he stays with grandparents or aunt/uncle we focus on how much fun he is going to have with the people he is staying with and talk that up a lot. We don't really mention that we won't be there and he doesn't ask (though he did get really excited when we went to Grammy & Grampy's and we stayed too!) We just talk about all the fun things he can do with his grandparents/aunt& uncle. The longest we have been gone is Tues-Sun and I had a harder time with that than he did for sure!
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Post by AuntSueto4 on Mar 5, 2012 14:38:59 GMT -6
Would your kids like storybook(s)/bedtime stories read to them by you/dh on tape for them to follow along with the book, sitting with Grandma or Grandpa?
Plus the card a day I think would help along with a calendar, stickers, or paper chain, something to count down the days.
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