My husband and I will be going away for a business trip in November. I am excited yet sad to leave the kids at home. My mother will stay with them and I am looking for ideas to leave for them to stay connected with them while we are away.
Thank you so much for all of your great advice!! I flip flop from being excited and then sad lol but you are all right. We will have a great time. I will have feelings of sadness and guilt I'm sure but they will be overpowered by the fun I will have too :-) I will use the suggestions you have all provided and it will help us all have a much better time! Thank you all so very much. The advice is truly appreciated!
I always leave little notes for my son and husband to find when I'm going to be away...under their pillow, the mirror in the bathroom, in a shoe, pocket of their pants...
Also, a webcam is cheap and very easy to use if you have internet access.
Best wishes!
We just took a trip to Japan and China for two weeks, leaving our three kids with grandma. That was the longest, and furthest we'd even been away, so we were worried. Some great things that worked for us were:
1-we made a countdown chain for the kids. We made it with them before they left, and then they could cut one off each day we were gone... it just helped them to see there wasn't that much time left!
2-We also left something for them each day. Some days it was a note (but two weeks of notes would get old!) so we also left new activties to do (fun cupcake molds, new marker and coloring books..ect) giving them something to take their mind off us being gone, and also giving grandma things to do with them. It really was a hit. One day we even just gave them all fun breakfast bowls. I think this was their favorite of them all!
3-The BEST was Skype. You can sign up for free and all you need is two web cams. You can buy really cheap ones if you don't already have some. You just hook those up to the computer, download skype (this is of course assuming you'll have a computer with you) on both computers and you can talk within the states for FREE! From Japan in was only $.03/minute. You can't beat that really. So we just made sure to talk to them every day. It really helped the yougest one to be able to see us! We were with a big group, and every single person over there with kids was doing the same thing. I don't know how we would have done it without... really!
4. The last tip is to maybe line up some play dates for the kids to give everyone a break.
Good luck, and don't sweat it. I'm sure things will go great!!! Besides, it give the kids and you mom some good bonding time!
or even just a call each night at bedtime...
How long are you going to be gone for?? At their age, a phone call every couple of days to check on them and Grandma should be fine. Your children are old enough not to push the fine line with Grandma, yet old enough to do it just the same!!
Good luck and have some fun without the kiddoes!!
S.
Leave cards for each of the children for each day that you are away so they can open them and read a special message from you. Prepare a meal or two or a snack that is especially connected to you and instruct your caregiver to give it to them on certain days. Leave a small tape recorder for each of them to record their feelings or activities of the day so you can play it back when you get home as you sit with them. If they enjoy crafts, they can draw a picture of what they are doing to give to you when you return. You can have small gifts wrapped and ready for your caregiver to give to them on specific days. Enclose stickers in the cards and give them a calendar to put the stickers on so they can mark the days until you return.
I just call a lot. My son is only 2.5, but I've left him with my parents several times, and I call to check in once or twice a day. Sometimes he wants to talk to me and sometimes he doesn't, but that way he knows I'm thinking about him and my parents can ask me any questions they need to ask.
My husband and I try to get away together about once a year. We've never done anything more than make freqent calls. They always have a BLAST with their grandparents and we miss them more than they miss us. Half the time they barely can break away from all the fun to come to the phone. Relax, enjoy your time away!
Hey C.
Maybe you guys could each keep a journal of the day's events while you are apart. When you get home, you can share. Also, you could leave little notes around the house for them to find while you are away. Or even have your mom place a note each night on their pillow for you. Something to remind them that you are thinking of them. Have a good trip!!
How long will you be away from the kids.You could e-mail them and also send postcsrds home
C.,
Feel fortunate that you & your hubby are getting away together! What I've done in the past is calling & sending fun postcards (daily). I've found we miss our kids more then they miss us!!! Nothing like Grandparents to SPOIL them. Your Babies will be fine. Just have a great trip! Bring them back a couple of things from your travels & I would bet when you come home you will get The Heroe's Welcome! Have a safe trip, enjoy each other & try not to worry so much... Your kids will still be there when you get home.
Happy & safe travels to you,
S.
I'm in Paris this week; we've had great access to a computer in the hotel lobby and are sending recaps of our day to the boys' grandmother and uncle who are staying with them this week. We also took one of the boys' small stuffed animals with us and are taking pictures of it at sights all over Paris. It's fun like Flat Stanley, only the dog has meaning for them.
A great thing I do to stay connected with my kids while on trips is to grab some markers and large white paper and start writing. Before every trip I take the time to write my kids bright colorful notes. I write one for each day that I will be gone and make sure that my mom (the babysitter) posts each new one on the refridgerator each new morning. My kids get so excited to run downstairs and see what my note has to say. I've been told they read the same note many times each day and they smile. I typically tell them in the note, what day it is, and in how many days I will be coming home. If I know what their day is planned for I get them excited and remind them of what fun adventure they will have with Granny that day. I tell them that I love them and miss them and will call them tonight to hear about their wonderful fun day. I typically draw them a few pictures around the border of the note just to make it more cheery and fun. Two different Granny's have put these notes out for my kids and they both said it was a great success. If they got lonley and missed me, the note helped them feel more connected.
I hope this helps!
All of the ideas you've gotten are great. We usually just stick to phone calls and emails. My daughter is almost 6 and has spent an average of 2 weeks a year at my folks house (out of state) since she was 6 months old. So there is very little that she could want for that her grandparents don't already have. This will be a great time for your kids to get closer to their grandmother. You could get a new board or card game for your mom to give them and that can be something new they learn to do while your gone. Or have your mom bring some of her photo albums and tell them stories about her and your childhood. Pull out their baby albums or home movies so they have a visual of the love you've given them since they were born. They'll probably enjoy telling Grandma about their "childhood" too. And don't lose sight of the fact that just by going away without them you are giving them one the greatest gifts we can give our kids. You are showing them that you and their father love each other so much that you want to spend time together. I truly believe that we can't show our kids enough, not only that they are loved, but that their parents love each other. Enjoy your trip!!
T. D
