Leaving my dd tonight

Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive January-June 2005: Leaving my dd tonight

I am leaving tonight for my trip to Costa Rica. I have never even left dd overnight and now I am leaving for 10 days! I am not worried about dd, she takes thing well in stride, very easy going girl. Grandma is coming to stay, dd knows her very well and they have so much fun together. I am just going to miss her soooooooo much. She is 13 months BTW.
How old were your dks when you left them for the first time? How did you handle it? How did they handle it? Can you tell I am a little freaked out? I know this vacation is going to be fabulous and dh and I could use a little alone time, so why do I feel like a bad and selfish mommy?

By Mommmie on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 01:06 pm:

Reminds me of a trip I took to Europe when my son was 22 months old. I ended up taking him with me, but my cousin left 3 kids at home including a 6 month old. I remember thinking, How can she do that? Then the trip gets going and her trip was great and mine was not so great bec I had this toddler to look after. Looking back (he's in 4th grade now) I would *not* have taken him with me and I would have gone guilt free. Course it never seems like that at the time! On the flight back my cousin told me she craved seeing her kids and feeling their skin, but she was glad she went without them. This was a Catholic pilgrimage to Rome, Croatia and Medjugoria in Bosnia.

So I say Go With Confidence.

By Emily7 on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 01:08 pm:

Don't feel like a bad mom, you need time to for you & your dh. I think the feelings you are feeling are normal. The first time I left my ds overnight he was 9 months old & i felt the same way you did.
I hope that you have a wonderful vacation.

By Karen~moderator on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 03:22 pm:

Do NOT feel guilty! You are investing in your relationship, your marriage. That is no reason to feel like a bad mom.

Why is it we always feel guilty if we do something for ourselves?? I'll tell you something I learned long ago - if your kids grow up knowing you feel guilty for any little thing you do for YOU and not them, they will carry that into young adulthood, and then try to make you feel guilty every time you do something that isn't about them. BTDT!! LOL

By Conni on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 07:27 pm:

Oh !!! Have a great time on your trip!! I hope you take alot of pics to share.

By Jelygu on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 09:30 pm:

Have a good time. I haven't left Christopher for an extended time yet, but only cause we haven't had the money for a vacation!
Enjoy your trip, it will make you a better mother to get away occasionally
Have fun for all of us!

By Clarabel on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 11:56 pm:

Have a fabulous time! And I'm still jealous.

I didn't leave Freedom overnight until a couple of months ago, and actually I couldn't sleep so we showed up at Grandma's at 3 am ,so that doesn't really count.I may be a little overprotective and I BF until he was 2, so I felt like he couldn't sleep without me nursing him down.
He would have probably been fine, it's harder for the mom to wean sometimes,I guess.
Maybe I will ease up a little with the next one.
Your daughter will be fine, enjoy yourself !