When Is Daddy Coming Home?
If you have a spouse who travels you have heard the numerous calls for either mommy or daddy.
My husband has always traveled and when my son was about two years old he started to realize daddy was not home every night.
Throughout the day he would ask "Where daddy?" I would have a great one ended discussion and ten minutes later, "where daddy?" So, the next trip I filled a jar with fruit treats (I could get away with that back then).
Each treat represented one full day daddy would be gone, so when my son ate his last treat that was the day he would see his dad.
We called this our Daddy Jar.
I will not say that he did not ask for daddy or look for him that first time, but it did work after that first time.
We have used other goodies like marshmallows and stickers.
It is so easy, now the children will tell me, "only three more night Mommy!" Paper chain countdown: Cut strips of paper (one for each day parent will be gone.
) Make into circle and tape, then add the next link, and so on.
Each day child takes off a link until getting to the last one! Themed jar: When a parent travels to a "themable" (I just made a new word...
I like it) area it is fun to find items related to the area.
Stickers are an easy item to find, just look in craft and scrapbook stores.
Is daddy going fishing? Buy some gummy worms or fish crackers for the tiny ones.
When my husband goes to Germany I use gummi bears since that is where they are made.
Paper quilt: Cut squares (one for each day person will be gone), glue or sew with yarn for older children, then each day draw, write or decorate one square.
On the last day the child will have a sweet welcome home sign to hang.
Idea: Child can write or draw favorite things to do with that person or write/draw about what the child did each day so when the absent parent arrives the child can share their days.
My husband has always traveled and when my son was about two years old he started to realize daddy was not home every night.
Throughout the day he would ask "Where daddy?" I would have a great one ended discussion and ten minutes later, "where daddy?" So, the next trip I filled a jar with fruit treats (I could get away with that back then).
Each treat represented one full day daddy would be gone, so when my son ate his last treat that was the day he would see his dad.
We called this our Daddy Jar.
I will not say that he did not ask for daddy or look for him that first time, but it did work after that first time.
We have used other goodies like marshmallows and stickers.
It is so easy, now the children will tell me, "only three more night Mommy!" Paper chain countdown: Cut strips of paper (one for each day parent will be gone.
) Make into circle and tape, then add the next link, and so on.
Each day child takes off a link until getting to the last one! Themed jar: When a parent travels to a "themable" (I just made a new word...
I like it) area it is fun to find items related to the area.
Stickers are an easy item to find, just look in craft and scrapbook stores.
Is daddy going fishing? Buy some gummy worms or fish crackers for the tiny ones.
When my husband goes to Germany I use gummi bears since that is where they are made.
Paper quilt: Cut squares (one for each day person will be gone), glue or sew with yarn for older children, then each day draw, write or decorate one square.
On the last day the child will have a sweet welcome home sign to hang.
Idea: Child can write or draw favorite things to do with that person or write/draw about what the child did each day so when the absent parent arrives the child can share their days.