DH and I have two upcoming trips away from 14 month old DS

[Anonymous]

Next month DH and I are going away for a week and leaving DS with my parents who live in another state (we were just there over Christmas). They are wonderful and will treat him great. We're meeting them at the airport to hand off DS.

Next week we're doing a three-day weekend away and MIL, also wonderful with him, is watching him at our house.

I'm thrilled to be going away and it is much-needed -- but I am so worried about DS. I know he will be well taken care of, my fear is that he is old enough to know we're gone but not old enough to understand we're coming back.

Can someone help reassure me? Or give me ideas as to how to help him with our absence?

[Anonymous]

He will be fine. I have traveled extensively without kids at times in the same kind of setup i.e. trusted family and it was great for everyone. The worst is when you are leaving..try to make it a fast exit because he will sense your stress but twenty minutes after you are gone, he will be fine. I also noticed that I get anxiety in the days leading up to the trip and on the plane but once I am at the destination..I am fine. It's harder now that my oldest is about four and she gets upset when I call on the phone so I have a feeling my traveling in the future will be more limited. Don't talk to people who are down on your travel because I have done this and then I feel guilty. It's a personal choice..I feel that it's important for my husband and I to take time away and focus on each other without the kids there and we seem to have a great marriage so this works for us..but other people feel differently so I don't tell those folks I am going away because I don't want to hear about how so and so could never go away sans kids..whatever..their choice.