Any helpful hints for DD not going with us??

[ttfn2u2pooh]

I'm not sure how many people have ever been in my situation but I'm going to ask anyway. I'm taking my mom and youngest DD to DLR in Sept. My 6 year old DD will be staying at home with daddy. Now, don't think I'm cruel for not taking her , she's actually been to DLR. My mom has taken all of her grandchildren by themselves and my DD was there in Feb. with my IL's.

Anyway, she'll be starting school the end of August so she'll have school to think about. And right now she talks about being excited for her little sister to go and meet Mickey, ride the rides and meet the Princesses. However, I have a feeling that this might become a harder reality to deal with once the date comes closer and packing starts to happen. We've talked about the fact that she's been a few times and this is Allison's special trip, the same one she got to take with her Nana (well, I wasn't there like I will be on this one) a couple years ago.

So, my question, has anyone else had to leave a child behind on a trip to DLR? Anyone have an idea on special little things I can leave behind or to do to let her know that we'll be thinking about her? I've asked her to think of something that she would like her little sister to bring home for her (she brought home a stuffed Goofy for my youngest).

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

First off do you have a Disney store nearby?? If you do, you can get some simple things there. Then hit a dollar store and get some cheap Disney items, and create a basket for your DH to hide, and bring out after you leave.

 

[pinktink83]

I think you're already going about it just fine! Knowing she will get a small souvenir when her sis gets home, and being reminded that she got a special trip before is good enough IMO. Anything more than that, and I think you'd just be coddling her too much. Yes, she'll be a bit bummed once the day comes around, but that's life. She's not gonna be harmed by it at all. If anything, it'll be a good teaching time.

 

[smiley_face2]

I think you're already going about it just fine! Knowing she will get a small souvenir when her sis gets home, and being reminded that she got a special trip before is good enough IMO. Anything more than that, and I think you'd just be coddling her too much. Yes, she'll be a bit bummed once the day comes around, but that's life. She's not gonna be harmed by it at all. If anything, it'll be a good teaching time.

what she said....

 

[Mugglemama]

Sorry, I can't be of much help here...this is the FIRST time we're going when one of our children won't be able to join us and I feel terrible about it...regardless of the fact that she's 19 and heading into her third year of college, LOL!!!

 

[TeddiBarra]

I've gone w/out some of my kids before.

Last March, me and DS (turning 10) went down for just a sat/sun trip for his birthday. Now, to be fair, we had just gone that December before for 8 days, for both my bday and his sisters bdays (twins). Anyway, it was a surprise trip and so we didn't tell the girls ahead of time. Honestly, when they were explained the reason why he was going and they weren't- they were mostly happy for him.

My parents also take their grandkids once a year, and they took ONLY my son up til my girls were 4. The last time they took my DS only, my girls were upset.

I would suggest you might want to add in that the DD not going gets to put in a request for a special souvenier. And if it's a longer trip (like more than 3 days that you and her sister will be gone) maybe she gets to do one special at-home activity (like chuck e cheese, or a movie). But I agree- it's good for kids to learn that siblings get to do things w/out them, and it's ok for each kid to have special things that don't involve everyone else.

 

[jacs1234]

I would love to do one on one trips with my kids if we lived close enough. The first time we went we just took our two oldest who were 6 and 8. We left our 2 and 3 year olds home with Grandma but they were so little they didn't know what they were missing

 

[Dobie]

Mr. Dobie and I are going without Dobie Brat for the first time. Of course, Dobie Brat is 21 and is not living at home this summer and just got back from a very expensive trip to Japan, financed by her doting parents, but her first comment was "You are going to Disneyland without me?

I plan to buy her a small gift each day and have it shipped directly to her apartment...to assuage some of my natural parental guilt...

 

[alyssa810]

Mr. Dobie and I are going without Dobie Brat for the first time. Of course, Dobie Brat is 21 and is not living at home this summer and just got back from a very expensive trip to Japan, financed by her doting parents, but her first comment was "You are going to Disneyland without me?

I plan to buy her a small gift each day and have it shipped directly to her apartment...to assuage some of my natural parental guilt...

I can totally picture doing the same with our DS in 15 years or so!

 

[robinjh7]

I have seven children (ages 27, 26, 23, 21, 16, 15, and 11), and that first time going without one of them is a KILLER. (27-year-old got LOTS of DLand stuff. But I've had more practice since then so they get nothin' now. )

Last August, I had to leave my youngest at home because his school was starting a week earlier than my teenager's school. He took it...not so well at first. But he stayed home and had quality Dad-time (since Dad couldn't go either), and they even spent the Saturday at our local Six Flags and, while not Disneyland, it helped. Is there somewhere special your husband could take your child for a Daddy-daughter date?

I always feel guilty!

 

[kkmcan]

You guys are all a lot stronger than I am. I would love to do a one on one trip with each of my kids but I think it would have to be somewhere else besides DL. It would be so hard since they love DL like nothing else. They've grown up with family trips to DL so it wouldn't feel right to me to be there without the whole family.

I don't even think I could do a trip with just my dh. That will have to wait til they are grown and moved out of the house. Then I'd be willing to try it.

 

[robinjh7]

I don't even think I could do a trip with just my dh. That will have to wait til they are grown and moved out of the house. Then I'd be willing to try it.

I have gone twice with just my DH, and it felt adulterous somehow. Heh.

We went on his birthday in 2009, just the two of us. And that happened to be the first Friday (maybe the first DAY) of Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy and the "Halloween Screams" fireworks. Not only was it more crowded than I've ever seen it before or since, we both felt so terrible the kids weren't there, we brought them (600+ miles) three weeks later so they could see the new things for themselves.

We went again in the spring of 2010 just the two of us, and it was nice, but something was missing. Well, SEVEN somethings (plus a spouse and two grandkids) actually.

Our kids are so spread out in age, I didn't anticipate being able to all go together again, but we have managed to plan a trip for December 19-21 this year, and EVERYONE (including my then 2-year-old twin grandbabies) will be able to go. WOO HOO!!!!

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

I am going Sat. with just my daughter who is 11.

Her twin brother is fine with this, because he is going camping with My husband and my dad.

All he asked is for us to bring him something !

I told him Thank you, for understanding my addiction to Disney !

 

[jacs1234]

Dh and I went by ourselves last christmas and it was Bliss. We thought we'd miss them and feel bad................but we didn't :lol: We did buy them a lot of things though. We zoomed through the parks, we did so much over and over and over and ate at restaurants without needing toilet breaks and there were absolutely NO spilt drinks.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Thank you all so much for your responses. And I do feel better now knowing that I am not the only one who has left a child behind while taking one to DL. She really has been good the closer we get but I'm also well aware to try and keep things rather low key. I'm really hoping that with the start of school (1st grade) will keep her attention on that and not our trip to DLR... she LOVES school.

It does help that she has been on trips by herself with others and maybe she does understand how special these trips are. I'm going to keep with the little one bringing something back for her big sister on the airplane. Might be kinda fun for my youngest to "hunt" for that perfect big sister gift.

My DH will be home from work that whole week so I need to make sure I can get a couple special "daddy-time" things planned. She's easy in that taking her to McDonald's for dinner will have her grinning for a couple days afterwards.

And oh, one of these days I'd LOVE to have a DLR trip with just DH & I. Talk about a total guilty pleasure. I'd hate to admit it but I think that sounds like pure Heaven. But, that might have to wait for a few more years.

Thanks again!