to think that DD will be as safe on the other side of the world than she would be here?

[CrabbyBigbottom]

I know she will. Tell me she will please.

DD (9) left today for almost four weeks in New Zealand with ex-DP. It's an amazing opportunity for her, and I'm sure she'll have a fantastic time. I know that NZ is as safe a place for her to be as here, and that the chances of something awful (plane crash, drowning, car crash, drowning, falling off volcanoes, drowning, and did I mention drowning? ) happening are miniscule. But I've still been filled with unshakeable dread and middle-of-the-night disaster-mongering in my anxious brain.

It doesn't help that DD's been quite teary the last few days, with lots of 'I'll miss you SO much mummy' and ' this is our last day together' - cue me saying hurriedly and very firmly 'last day until you come home safe and sound and happy!!'

I'm BU to be so fearful, right? It is entirely reasonable to assume that she will be absolutely fine in NZ, and not worry any more than if she were just at her dad's house?

I think it's normal to be like that, I mean, it is the other side of the world, plus her first time going, but I also believe she'll be fine, it's just nerves!

I let dd go to California with her grandparents for a month to visit family.

I worried about all these things and more, she once rang me to say she was at the top of a tree . When she got back and showed me all the pictures of the places she went to I knew I made The right choice as I will not have the time or money for a longtime.

Good Luck op I know how hard it is.

Oh and yes I cried.

And I tracked all her flights on my iPhone app. I helicoptered from afar

Ooh Jay can I do that on the ipad then? They're en route now, how do I do it??

Thanks Sandra, I've been a bit of a wreck today. I know I'm being really silly.

Download flight tracker then tap In the flight number.

Completely irrational but who cares eh?

Harrumph - have found x-DP's forwarded expedia email with flight details, but no flight numbers.

I'll go back to quaffing wine and rocking rhythmically back and forth then.

You know you can't quaff wine every night for 4 weeks don't you?

I did of course take advantage of having no dd and did stuff like go to the pub after work.

Considers... ... nope, can't see your point there JayVazzle.

That's a big thing for me too - that there's no way we (DP and I) could afford to take DD on the kind of holidays xDP takes her on. He's not wealthy or anything, but he does spend more on trips abroad than we could dream of doing - the advantage of not having a mortgage I guess. I'm really pleased for her that she is able to do this stuff with him, and that they have those amazing experiences together.

Well the plane didn't crash, at least. First irrational fear crossed off the list.

I was just seeing if you updated

Glad she has landed safely, hope you can relax a bit better now (JayVaz needs to practice what she preaches).

Ds 12 and dh went to Australia on Xmas Day for 3 weeks, leaving me and dd at home.
He had a wonderful time, hasn't stopped talking/googling aout it, is discussing gap years and citizenship (dh has Oz ciizenship)

I was fine about him going until Xmas night, when I walked past his empty room......

Thanks Jay got a text from her at lunchtime - I expect I'll get a call once she's slept off the journey.

That's what's been getting to me too MrsR - walking past her bedroom door and seeing her stuff all around. It is silly because she's often at her dad's for 2-3 days, and has a couple of weeks at my parents' regularly. I think it's because I've had her at home with me all the time lately, so her absence has left an extra big hole.