Comments on: How to Keep Kids Happy While You’re Away

By: Lesley

Lesley — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:27:05 +0000

When my husband was away for a long period of time I made a paper chain for my small son. He was too young to understand the concept of “days” and “weeks” so I made a link for each day he would be gone. Each day he would wake up excited to rip off another link. He could visually see that the chain was getting smaller and smaller. It helped ALOT!

By: Renee

Renee — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:36:30 +0000

It really upsets me when parents “sneak away”

By: Lianne

Lianne — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 23:43:19 +0000

Maggie – I’m so encouraged that you shared this and I love reading all these beautiful ideas in these comments – I’m writing them down and had to run to amazon and order The Kissing Hand before even commenting here. Love to you all!

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:30:33 +0000

Hey! Happy belated birthday! Hope it was fabulous.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:17:53 +0000

My toddler (almost 3) is still crying 4 out of 5 days of drop-off at daycare. She’s been going to daycare since 13 months but a transition to a new room and now a new centre, has had her tearful since about August.

Thanks for all the suggestions. For now, when I come to drop her off, we read one story together and then our ritual is ‘one big hug, one big kiss, daddy will pick you up and I’ll see you at home at dinnertime’ after which I immediately leave and don’t linger. We’ve also left a small photo album in her cubby at the daycare with family pictures inside. The teachers said that the for first few weeks this helped a lot. Now, after she has her cry, which lasts about 30 seconds, she runs off to play with her friends and doesn’t bother with the photos as much.

I’ve been thinking of cutting out our storytime to make the drop off a bit quicker as you all have suggested. And at the advice of a good friend who’s an elementary school teacher, we’re picking up “The Kissing Hand” from the library this weekend.

I’ve asked my daughter what we could do to help her feel not so sad when I leave or if she could have a brave face. “No Mummy, when you leave I’m sad, so I cry. But then I have playtime and I’m happy”. Hard to argue with that!

By: Sassafras Mama

Sassafras Mama — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:46:13 +0000

A kiss in each hand —- extras for whenever they are needed. I’ve been doing this for years and my son, now 10, still enjoys a little extra kiss in his hand. It’s a rather sweet ritual.

By: JSweet

JSweet — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:34:43 +0000

I kind of wish I needed this advice! Going on my fourteenth month without a single night without my daughter. I haven’t had a pressing need for travel but I kind of can’t wait for a weekend away. I’d even take a business trip to Akron, Ohio at this point if it involved a queen sized bed and room service.
I’m sure I will be worried and sad though when the time comes.