Leaving the Little Ones Behind

Chris and I just returned from a week long vacation – without the kids.  It was the most uninterrupted time we’ve had together since our honeymoon, and I treasured every second.  The simple joy of sitting at a cafe and staring out the window for an hour can not be understated. It was nice to “turn off”.

As nice as it was to have my husband all to myself, I did feel very anxious and nervous about leaving the kids for so long.  Would they miss me? Forget about me? Long for the comfort of their routine and beds and toys?  To make myself feel better about leaving them behind, I put together gift bags for Evie and Mack to open every day.  Mack got a few Matchbox cars, a big toy lion, Army guys…Evie found Hello Kitty jewelery, Disney princess stationary, Burt’s Bees lipstick and lotion…and, for my *wonderful* mother who so generously cared for the kids I packed up a necklace, Starbucks gift card, fancy hand cream.  I just wanted all three of them to know how much I loved and missed them.

I also slipped a note and photo in each bag.  Each note shared a fun memory such as sledding during last year’s big snowstorm or our family trip to Michigan this summer.  It was a small way for them to know I was thinking about them.

I also wrote a kid-friendly itinerary so they could follow along with our journey.  The text was simple and succinct, and I included photos of our destinations so they could imagine what Mom and Dad were up to.

As nice as it was to be on a much needed vacation, it is great to be together as a family again.  2012 is off to a great start!

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5 Comments for this entry

  1. Myah says:

    Wow!! I’m impressed. 🙂 We’ve been away a few times, and I’ve never done anything like this. It’s so much work simply preparing the home to be away and just getting out the door. But… next time, I’ll be checking back to steal some ideas! 🙂 Well done.

  2. Hannah says:

    What great ideas! I’ll have to file them away for whenever we get a chance to go on a us-only vacation. :~)

  3. What a sweet idea to leave for your kids and mother! I will keep this in mind as our children grow, since we are determined to try & take a “kid-free” vacation every other year if we can, even if it’s just a weekend away. My parents took a trip by themselves every year, and even though I remember missing them a lot when they left, they always returned so joyful and refreshed (and, well, bearing presents for us kids!) that it was never traumatic to have them gone.

  4. Danielle says:

    This is such a cute idea. Whenever we leave the kids for any amount of time, I always get that nervous, anxious feeling too. What a great idea to thank your mom and also show the kids that you love them and are missing them.

  5. Rebecca says:

    Great idea! I had to leave my son for the first time to attend a work conference late last year. This would have helped both of us deal with the separation better.

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