How to explan to 2.11yr old daddy is going away for a week?

[zephyrcat]

DP is off to a training centre for week, he leaves on Monday as we only just found out he was going. What do I say to DD as she is very into daddy at the moment. I dont want her to just hear 'daddy is going away' and get upset - she's not going to understand 'training course'!!
I thought about getting her to help me get his suits and stuff ready as well so she knows somethings going on and he doesnt just 'disappear'. Any thoughts? Thanks

DH is currently away for 10 days - dd (5) and ds (3) talk to him on the phone each night which does help.

They quite readily accept that he's away with work - the promise of a present on his return always helps!

Yes definitely promise a present ! I have to go away for my work on a reasonably regular basis and my dd is the same age. I say that I will be sleeping somewhere else for x nights, and when I come back I will bring her a present. If she knows the days of the week you could tick them off on a calendar.

Tell dd that Daddy has gone to help Santa for Christmas and that he will bring a special present back for her and make sure your dh phones her each morning and night. My dh went away a few months ago and as long as my dd (nearly 3) heard daddy's voice - she seemed OK ! Warn your dh that he will no doubt get the cold shoulder treatment when he returns - thats what my dd did to her daddy (she is a No.1 Daddy's girl !!!!

We always write little notes for dh to find when he goes into his case. I talk about it in terms of how many sundays time until he is back, or after a list of evevnts so we can mentally tick them off.

thanks everyone - cadbury that's an excellent idea!! She's just started drawing 'people' and writing over her name so a special pic for daddy to find will be perfect

I have a friend who puts marbles in a bag for the number of nights that her DH is away. Every night their DS removes a marble and counts how many are left so he knows how many days until his Dad comes home.

My DH goes away fairly regularly with work and I think one important thing is to be informative - Daddy is going away for a few days and then he'll come home again - but not to make too much of a big deal of it. As with so many things, the children will pick up on anxiety that you feel and perhaps get anxious about it themselves.