My MIL whom I have a great relationship with just called to see if my little guy would like to go stay with them for a few days. She has an in-home daycare and since school has started she is down to just a few kids my son's age. They also have a farm and he loves it when we all go down to visit. I have no issues with her watching him for a few days I just don't know if I am really ready for him to be two and a half hours away over night. I know that it will be good for him and will give me a bit of a break as I am 3 months pregnant with our second and it has been a rough three months. My DH is ok with the idea he said it is up to me, I want my little guy to be able to go and spend time with his grandparents as we don't get down there as often as we would like and they miss him and he misses them. I am sure he will be fine, he is very indenpendent. Any advice from others who have let their little ones go on overnight visits at this age would be great. Would you let your little one go?
Thanks for all the insight. He was all excited until he realized that mama and dad where not going to be there. When I asked him about it I made sure to tell him all the fun stuff he would get to do and playing with the other kids in the daycare. We were all set to give the go ahead and then he went into hysterics because we would not be there. We are going to go down for a visit next weekend and since the in-laws don't live to far from the beach- about 45 min- DH and I decided that we would leave him with MIL and FIL for at least one night while we enjoyed a day/night at the beach. I think this will work well for him and this way we can see how he does.
Another thing is we are begining to potty train ( he all of a sudden decided did not like diapers anymore- yea) So I think that too much disruption would set us back.
As much as I would LOVE to have a few days to myself I just don't think he is really ready yet (even tho mama is) but I think doing a trial one night run will lead to longer stays. And when the new baby arrives he will feel more comfortable staying with the in-laws and with my own parents who live about 10 min from us.
Oh yes I would let him go! Yes, you'll miss him, but think of all that you can get done! Or, not done. Think of the naps you can take, the long hot baths, and everything else you don't have the opportunity to do. Also, think of this as special time for him and his grandma. He'll love it.
My kids have spent the night occasionally with both sets of grandparents (about 45 min. away) and have loved it each time. They have done this about twice a year since they were each 6 months or so. They now ask to have an overnight with their grandparents! It's wonderful for them to get to know each other, and it's a great night out for DH and me- we don't get too many of those! Do it- you'll all love it!
Oh my gosh do it! All of our relatives live within 20, minutes of us.. She was used to staying with them. It helped so much when my husband and I became so ill at the same time we could not care for her and did not want expose her.. She was fine going with MIL late at night..
Our daughter felt like it was a treat to go and stay with any of them.. With the baby coming in 6 months.. This is going to make the planning so much easier knowing your child will be used to this.
Spend so quiet time with your husband,, If you think you do not get to see or speak with him enough now, imagine with 2 children!
We've left our kids with grandparents overnight since they were babies. It's super bonding time for them and they've always loved it. Not to mention, it's awesome to have the break and some quiet one-on-one time again with your spouse. A few days sounds like a great trial run. I would do it without hesitation!
If he is happy with his grandparents and you trust them, then I say yes. Two is not too little for some kids and might be too soon for others. But if you are sure he would be fine then trust your own instincts! I lived too far from my parents for them to see my son a lot when he was small, but my nieces and nephew have always had 'sleepovers' at my parents' home since they were babies and love it. I am sure your son-and grandma and grandpa- will have a great time.
My children started spending the night with grandparents when the oldest was 4 months! It's SO wonderful to have some time to yourself and know they are in trusted hands! My boys are 2 and 5 now and they regularly spend the night with my MIL. if my mom was still alive, they would be spending weekends with my parents! Do it! The kids have fun and so do the grandparents and they get some great bonding and memories!
If you're comfortable with your MIL I would let him go. I let my oldest daughter spend a couple nights with my BIL/SIL so my husband and I could go on a mini-vacation when she was 2. It was sooooo hard for me but I knew she would be safe and have a blast. I knew I needed to do that or I would never do it. I still rarely let her stay overnight with anyone (and she'll be 6 in a week) but once I realized she had such a great time and it was special for her aunt and uncle to have that one on one time with her...I felt it was a great decision.
You'll be thinking of him the whole time and it'll be hard to resist the urge to call him...but I'm sure he'll enjoy his time with his grandparents and they will love it too.
If he's miserable by the end of the first night...it's not too far of a drive to just go get him...but I am willing to be he'll love it. :)
Yes I let mine go at that age BUT he had been going for days by himself for ages. My other hint is to TEXT to check up on him, so you don't upset him by calling
I wouldn't let mine at that age. I think it's too young, too long, and too far away. BUT that's just me and my feelings. I know others probably feel differently (haven't read the comments yet!).
My daughter is almost 5 (in Dec) and I have never let her spend the night with anyone other than my husband or myself (if one was away, the other was with her). That is just me. I have a mom and dad who haven't been together since before I was born, a stepmom who is no longer married to my dad, and aunt and uncle that raised me so w/ my inlaws, if I let grandparents have overnight visits with my daughter I would never see her since I work full time. Weekends are mine and during the week the grandparents and I both work (and she is in school). We visit grandparents as a family.
My son is 19. I was 19 when he was born and due to work schedules, I sometimes had to drop him off to the babysitter (my cousin) at 5:30 am. For that reason alone, I allowed him to spend the night on those days. Because of my schedule, I had a hard time getting him on a good sleep schedule so I was trying to do the best I could especially once his father and I split. I would have done things differently (like I am w/ my daughter) if my circumstances were different.
We spent nights and weekends with grandparents from a very young age and loved it. There is something special about having that time with them with parents not around that I still remember fondly. My paternal grandmother was a horrible mother in law to my mother, but a super grandmother to us, and our step-grandfather was wonderful and sweet. It sounds like a wonderful situation for your son and a great break for you. I would talk about it with him in very positive terms and see if he seems at all anxious, but you should let him go.
I 100% would let him go.
My children have spent weekends and weeks with their grandparents since they were both 2 months old.
It is very important to me to spend alone time with my husband. It gives us time to reconnect and build our marriage. This is only benefitting your child not hurting him. A happy marriage plus a happy mother reflects in a happy child.
Great practice for when you are gone having the new baby. Did you mention how old the child is?
I think it sounds great.
If your MIL is up to the task, and she'll listen to your preferences (being an in-home caregiver, she's probably fine) then go for it. My parents keep my sister's kids all the time, and that started when they were babies. They are too far away to have me drop by kids off, but if they lived closer, I'd do it. My in-laws are 2 hours away. They've had our kids at age 3 for the first time because that's what they were comfortable with. My daughter hates going overnight without us because she is very much a mama's girl and she worries about me a lot (she's 6 now), but I think she needs the time with her grandparents. (Her cousins stay for a week at a time several times a year and LOVE it, so we know it's a good, safe place.) You can cultivate a much different relationship by being with your grandparents without your parents, and I really want my kids to have that.
So, if your MIL can handle a 2-year-old, I'd do it.
we did let our parents watch our son at two. i told him he had to be in a play pin to sleep and they opted not to do that. he got a huge bonk on his head from hitting the hard wood floor. that happened at four and i got a call about it at seven am. luckly it was just an ugly knot but they werent sure what to do and thought he would be fine. but since your mom runs a daycare she knows about kids. i am thirtyone and the youngest. they have not had to deal with kids for awhile. from where i am sitting your very lucky to have a mil that wants to spend time and you can trust. he will have a blast and be safe i would let him go have some granparent time.
