How to make it easier on my daughter when she goes to her dads for the weekend

United States
March 20, 2007 12:56pm CST
I am recently divorced and my daughter is 2 years old. When it is her dad's turn to have her for the weekend, she cries and clings to me. It really tears me up for her to cry for me. Does anybody have any advice for making this an easier transistion for her?
3 responses
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
20 Mar 07
Welcome to Mylot first of all - I hope u will like it here =) I am not sure that i have any advice for you since i do not have kids myself - but is she beeing treated nicely there? As a 2year old she is not understanding why she has to leave mommy nehind, and maybe .- just maybe it would be better not to make her when she obviously doesn´t want to, atleast not until she gets older I haev a friend who also divorced and the dad in the beginning just spent time with her close to home, for daytime only and just now, when the son is 5 he started to ask himself to stay the night and so on!
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Mar 07
Yeah, I wished she didn't have to go, but unfortunately, it is in the papers that he gets her no less than every other weekend. So, I HAVE to send her. :(
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
20 Mar 07
Maybe u can have a talk with him and he can agree to change it, atleast for a while. No doubt you are in a difficult situation!
• Philippines
20 Mar 07
As young as your daughter is...she is aware that the environment she lives in is not normal. She probably has lost her sense of security seeing that mom and dad were together and living in the same home. It is normal for a child especially that young to show her feelings. In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to talk to her as often as possible and trying to make her understand that it not a bad thing to be going away during weekends to spend some time with her father. Try to build up expectations for her visits to her father by telling her what sort of activities she would be doing or the amount of fun she's going to have with her father. Kids as young as her need a constant reassurance that they are loved, accepted and that their feelings and needs are acknowledged.
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@EagleEyes (646)
• United States
20 Mar 07
Awww...That has to be a hard thing for you. It's hard because she is so young too. Maybe you and her could go to the store and you could pick a special doll or stuffed animal that she likes and tell her when she thinks of you to hug the doll or stuffed animal. I can't really think of anything else, she is so young. I hope it will help her and you.
1 person likes this