first stay over of DD 2

[Gster]

Hello.

need some advice.

It's likely that I will finally have my DD 2.5 years, over for her first overnight soon. Possibly this weekend. She's been to my new house overnight with her mum once before and a couple of day visits. I've set up a lovely room for her and she seems to like it.

Me and DD get on well, but she is a little clingy with her mum. Her mum has in the past done the majority of night time parenting.

I guess I just need some encouragement and advice for how to help her have as good a time as possible. I am expecting the first few over nights to involve tears and requests for mummy..

Hmm, bedtime books maybe, sometimes a good narrative can help take young minds off their worries, along with the comforting voice of their parent at bedtime.

Make sure she has her favourite bed toy - that usually helps my DD if she's sleeping somewhere else. As long as she has her mickey mouse, she's happy! Lots of cuddles if she gets upset. Make sure she knows she'll see mummy again, but try not to mention mum too much as she will just remember she's away from her, and maybe fret some more. Lots of distraction if she is unsettled, hopefully she'll forget why she's upset and just fall asleep when she's tired. My DD would sometimes take a while to settle with her dad, but once she did, she was fine. Plenty of bed time stories - you might find yourself reading several but if it helps her settle, and eventually fall asleep, it's worth it.

Good luck.

Favourite cuddly toy...distraction and re-assurance - bedtime stories and make the overnight stay fun!

you sound great ! don't worry too much if she has a cosy room and a good parent she will be fine. Lots of cuddles and her usual routine will probably help, children usually respond to doing the same things in the same order so maybe ask mum the order she usually does things in

you will be fine !

:-)

All went very well. So happy.

Picked DD up in my car, thankfully she fell asleep for most of the drive to mine.

She was such a joy to be with, went for walks in the woods, went to see some friends with cows in their field, played at home, playground, bath time etc.

First night was slightly tricky. Late to bed ( can't sleep daddy ) , up at 2 am wanting to go home, lots of reasurance and hugs. Infact one second she'd be ' want mummy's home ' the next she's be ' oh, daddy what's that picture ' etc.

Second night no problems at all.

The look on her face when I let her sit on my lap and steer my sports car ( down a private lane ) was worth a million pounds.

ah sounds lovely :)