Just a quick one about my DS.....

[Maddison]

My PILs have gone on holiday for 4 weeks (went last Friday) and we just can't get it through to our 5 yo DS1 (who is quite close to them, FIL in particular) that they have gone on holiday! He keeps asking for Granda to pick him up and asks if he can sleep at their house and we give him the same answer each time, that they are on holiday and he can see them when they come back.

Any advice on how to get it through to him?

they are on holiday you can see them when they get back
they are on holiday, you can see them when they get back
THEY ARE ON HOLIDAY, YOU CAN SEE THEM WHEN THEY GET BACK

LOOK - JUST SHUT UP OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN

is it kinda like that?

If it hasn't happened before, or not in his memory, it's just too weird to take in. Maybe the repetition of question/explanation is helping him feel more secure about it. I know it's frustrating, though!

Do you live close by .Can you not take him let him knock on the door and physically see they are not there.Might be only way.

Yep Twiglett it's exactly like that

They go abroad twice a year, 4 weeks in summer, 2 weeks in September and quite often for weekends so he should be used to it.

Joanna, I may try that, they don't live too far away. I think I'll also give him a calendar or a chart so he can cross off the days until they get back.