Leaving my little girl for the first time. Very nervous.

[cyndyj1]

I still worry about my boys, and they're 18 and 21! I'll probably still be worrying about them when they're in their 30s - and at the rate they're going, they'll still be living with me then too.
They both had the option to join me on this trip, and chose not to, so....I wonder how many parties will be happening at my house while I'm gone!!!

[OGreenlee]

Chose not to go?

I'd be worried.


And my mom freaked out when we went to Europe. We were almost 30. She especially went nuts when she found out that the last week of our trip, I'd actually be alone b/c my husband was flying back home for work.

I had to remind her that I live in one of the most dangerous cities in the world and going to a place where owning a gun is highly illegal.

[cyndyj1]

They chose not to go for valid reasons. Alec, my 21-year-old, has no interest in travel whatsoever. Never has, probably never will. Nick, the 18-year-old, is a lot like me - always up for almost anything. He's gone with me on most of my vacations. But, he was working in the ski mountain here and his job ended the 2nd week of April when ski season was over. He just started a new summer job, and time off would be a problem for him. He bought a new car too, so $$ is a problem for him too. At his age too, he would rather hang out with his friends anyway.
I was mostly kidding about the parties, even though that's what I did every time my parents left town...We live in a very close-knit neighborhood in a pretty small town. Everybody knows everybody, and everybody watches out for their friends. No worries!

[tlegray]

My daughter is 25 yrs old. I still worry what could happen when my husband and I fly together....she's an only child Plane could go down, etc. I'm not trying to stress you out more. What I'm trying in a terrible fashion to explain is I'm that same kinda mom. I never worry about the little things, it's always the worst of the worst. So I understand. The first time is the very hardest too, especially because the grandparents are aged and your FIL is ill.

Now look at this from another perspective. Both your parents are older. This is a great opportunity for your Olivia to have some quality time with them. They must love her very much otherwise you wouldn't be leaving her with them. Olivia is excited about the prospect. This will be good for you and your husband. You might even decide to do it again...one day.

My daughter has always known I was neurotic. I tried very hard not to put this on her too. I wanted her to be independant and have encouraged to her to be so even at the expense of my nerves. This is good for the both of you.

I hope I helped and you didn't focus on the first paragraph. I know from where I speak believe me. The first day my daughter walked to school I followed her in the car. We literally lived one block away. Not kidding.

[OGreenlee]

I'm an only child, and my daughter will be an only child, as well!!
A good friend of mine always says, "You have to have more than one kid. What if something happens?"
My response is, "That's more than one kid to worry sick over, and my nerves can't take it."

[tlegray]

originally posted by ogreenlee:
I'm an only child, and my daughter will be an only child, as well!!
A good friend of mine always says, "You have to have more than one kid. What if something happens?"
My response is, "That's more than one kid to worry sick over, and my nerves can't take it."

When I'm being super neurotic I tell my daughter, "I should have had 10 kids because then I could have afforded to lose 1. Sucks to be you." Then we laugh.

At least it doesn't stop her from doing. She's traveled over 3 continents. Has lived away from home. She has no fear which really scares me. She hopped a cab in Shanghai to go to Hard Rock with just a card from the hotel and she doesn't speak chinese. She's hopped a cab in Athens and went to some Egyptian market. These places are always out of the tourist zones. She tells me about her adventures after the fact. Thankfully she doesn't travel alone.

We started leaving her with my parents when she was 5 so that we could have long weekend aways just the two of us. She's very close to both my parents. She even traveled through China with my 72 yr old dad. Next year they are traveling through Mexico. The nerves were all worth it.

[OGreenlee]

That's awesome! While I don't know if my daughter will ever be able to experience travel with her grandparents, I do hope that she is adventurous.

We love to travel, and I know that we'll definitely be dragging her to as many places as we can afford!

However, the whole family is traveling to Korea next spring with my mom. I haven't been back since I was 3, and I was born there!

[boxi]

Well I don't have children, so not much help there, but I'm a daughter. I really admire my parents to let me go travelling during my student years because I know how many sleepless nights they had because of it. That was in time before the internet, so keeping in touch was done solely by phones. And as a student I never felt the desire to travel to France, Italy, Portugal (all countries I love now) but always went to really far away, usually less developed places, that offered more adventures. I think all was well because they brough me up to be responsible and careful of new surrundings but not afrad of new experiences. I will be forever grateful to them to put my wish to see and experience the world before their wish to keep me close, so they wouldn't have to worry.

[tlegray]

orginally posted by ogreenlee:
That's awesome! While I don't know if my daughter will ever be able to experience travel with her grandparents, I do hope that she is adventurous.

We love to travel, and I know that we'll definitely be dragging her to as many places as we can afford!

However, the whole family is traveling to Korea next spring with my mom. I haven't been back since I was 3, and I was born there!

How exciting! for all of you.

Hope I was able to calm some of your nerves.

[Jan&Chas]

Originally Posted by cyndyj1

I still worry about my boys, and they're 18 and 21! I'll probably still be worrying about them when they're in their 30s - and at the rate they're going, they'll still be living with me then too.
They both had the option to join me on this trip, and chose not to, so....I wonder how many parties will be happening at my house while I'm gone!!!

yea, when they are older you worry for DIFFERENT reasons, not because they are going to miss you or you miss them, but what will you come home to!

[cyndyj1]

Ha! I remember what I put my parents through and think I've been really lucky with my sons!

[cyndyj1]

Originally Posted by boxi

I will be forever grateful to them to put my wish to see and experience the world before their wish to keep me close, so they wouldn't have to worry.

That is very, very cool.

[Tommygurl]

We leave tomorrow morning for Vegas and although we have left them with Grandma & Grandpa many times before I still go through every possible scenario....like what if the 3yr old falls in the pool & drowns...or if my daughter gets hit by a car while out with my Mom....Just ridiculous. But I think thats what makes us Moms...

Enjoy your trip...

[OGreenlee]

I hate that we all think that way, but I'm glad that WE ALL think that way.

Man.. I was at my inlaws house about a month ago, and my MIL, niece and DD went across the street to a baby shower (my MIL's sister lives there). They have a swimming pool that is very poorly covered up by those water balloon thingies. There was nasty water all in the top of that thing, too. My niece9, who I'm not crazy about (sorry), had my DD walkin' around the perimeter of the pool... jumping on and over those water balloon thingies. She could have easily slipped right into the pool... or rather into the nasty covering. My MIL's BIL, old as Moses, was sitting outside the fence to the pool. I walked up, saw what was going on, and said... "What the hell?" The BIL said, "Well, they wanted to go in there. Don't worry, though. I was right here if one of 'em fell in."

I ABOUT DIED. Was he for real? First of all, the pool sits away from the house. It has a poolhouse built onto it. He would have had to go thru the poolhouse and out to the pool to reach either one of them. Not to mention he's old as Moses, can't hardly walk, been thru several surgeries lately, and is not expected to live that much longer.
I yelled at both of the girls to get out of there, and my niece almost falls in making her way out. That was the last time I trusted my niece to watch my DD. I know she'll be at my MIL's some while my DD is there over our trip, but I don't care who I offend. I don't want her taking my DD outside without supervision.

Sorry for the vent.

[tlegray]

Vent all you want...that's what we're here for.