Leaving a 3 year old for 2+ weeks- any advice!

[guiltyparent]

My sister lives overseas and is pregnant with her first child. She has asked me to go and be her birth partner. I am really excited about this and I am taking my youngest DS as I am still BF. My elder DS is staying here with his Dad and my parents are coming to help out as DH works shifts. I know he will be well looked after and will be excited to see his Grandparents but I am still really anxious about leaving him, probably more for me than him! Have any of yuo had to leave your DC when they were so young and do you have any hints and tips for making ti as stress free as possible for all concerned? Thanks

as someone who has never had the bloody opportunity to have more than one night away from her kids in 13 years

I'd say he'll be absolutely fine, keep him busy whilst your away and the time will fly

You can skype daily to make it easier. He will miss you too, don't underestimate that. If you are taking younger baby is there a reason you can't take the older one too? If so then I'm sure it will be fine. Maybe give him a special photo of you to go to sleep with. And maybe some special job he has to do. I used to have a stuffed toy rhino my niece loved, so when I went abroad for three months and she was going to miss me I I told her she had to look after the rhino for me and gave her a special book to write q diary on behalf of the rhino. Sounds silly maybe but she felt very special. Writing I guess is out of the question for a three yo but maybe he could make a daily video diary for you? and you for him?

yes talk to him every day, but not, if you can help it, at bedtime - it needs to be when he has something interesting/exciting to go and do, rather than going to bed and thinking about how much he misses Mummy.

Make sure he knows you are coming back! I was surprised to see dd at same age inconsolable as I stepped onto the train- and yet I could have sworn I had explained!