Comforting a 2 year old a bedtime, that misses his mommy.

Laura - posted on 07/03/2011

I have a 2 year old girl and my husband is leaving for 3 weeks for vacation. I am petrified (nervous) about how to comfort her while he is gone. She is a daddy's girl. Our 10 yr old girl will be home with us. Ideas on how to let her know he will be back?? Help plz.

Constance - posted on 05/11/2011

Sandy, I had my brother's children for five years. Both my brother and sister in law went to jail. For different reasons but the one that impacted them the most was watching their mother get arrested. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through. For monthes they were terrorized with nightmares of the swat team coming in the house. Their ages were 6,3, and 1. The first thing I did was took them to pick out that one special thing that they could sleep with and I allowd them to caryit everywhere for about six and longer depending on how they were doing at that point. My bed wasn't my bed for almost 2 years. It was the only way they felt safe. I thought maybe my husband would hate me because I allowed it, but he didn't he went and bought a Calf. King Bed. We had to move everything else out of the room but he was ok with it. They had their own beds and they would start in them but always ended up with us.
The next step I took was letting them draw pictures for both of their parents. They would draw everything they were doing and we would save them for when they could come home. It did help because they were able to tell about their day. When they did have those really hard questins if I was ever going to leave them I promised everyday that I would always be there.
My brother did get his stuff together and eventally I allowed him to have coustody again. Their mother never really has. But my brother has remarried and called me this morning and told me he was putting the kids ona plane because thy don't fit in with his new wife and 2 daughters. Right now I want go to his house and rip his head off. They are teenagers now so I have no ida how I going to handle the new additudes they will bring. I will always love them as myown children but he will never get them back. I won't allow him to rip their hearts out of their chest again.
I know how difficult it is and I am sorry that he is going through this. Just keep showing him how much you love him and he will take time but he will find peace.
I hope this helps yoou a little. hang in there you are doing everything right. Good luck and I will be around if you need to talk.