Going on vacation without a baby

From what age can you entrust your child to go on vacation?

In toddlers, that is to say before 6 months, the child will most often be entrusted to the grandparents. Even if they are relatives that he appreciates, before 1 year, it is preferable that the separations be short. Parents can go away for a weekend first, then a week, but no more. Babies need cues and their notion of time is different from that of adults. So that the children understand that their parents will return, it is important that the first separations are not long. The development of the child must also be taken into account. The end of the first year corresponds, for example, to separation anxiety. It will be more difficult to leave your baby during this period. The key is to know your child well, some being more vulnerable than others.

It is also important to consider the events that happen in a toddler’s life. They could further complicate the separation by adding to a departure on vacation.

How to best prepare toddlers for this separation?

First of all, it is crucial to talk to the child about it, beforehand, in simple words and calmly. Often it is the feeling of guilt that keeps parents from expressing things. Explaining to your child that you can continue to love each other, to think of each other, even when far away, is also a good approach. Finally, on D-day, it is essential to say goodbye to him, and that we will come back. And this, even if he is still very young.

You talk about guilt. What advice would you give to help parents leave with peace of mind?

To leave their child, parents must, above all, tell themselves that they can allow themselves to have a good time and have a moment of their own, even if, unconsciously, it is difficult to clear the guilt. In our current society, we often talk about the need to “cut the cord” of “mothers too hens”. Corn a physical detachment is not necessary if one does not feel ready. The separation must, above all, be done in the head. There is no obligation to do violence to yourself.

The role of the entourage also counts. Entrusting your child to grandparents or relatives who will tend to make us feel guilty is not a good thing. To go on vacation peacefully, parents should not feel indebted to their loved ones, as if they were placing a burden on them. That is why it is better to leave your child with people who are fully available.

Parents may also have concerns about their child’s health or behavior. To make the separation easier, it is better to entrust your baby to loved ones who are fully trusted. Often times, it will be easier for a new mother to leave her child with her own mother.

What are the rules to follow so that the separation from your child goes without a hitch?

In order to facilitate separation, maternal and daily care given to the baby must be part of the continuity. It is up to parents, therefore, to determine with their loved ones the course of the day and the rhythm of the child before departure.

Adults should also set some rules. For example, parents can call caregivers on a daily basis without talking to their little one every day. On the other hand, it is important to respond to the child’s demands, while reframing his excessive demands. If he wants to call his parents five times a day, we can tell him “not now…”, “it’s not yet time…”.

How do toddlers cope with the lack of their parents?

Some babies make up for the lack of their parents thanks to the blanket. This transitional object is a creation of the child, a psychic resource that he will find to ensure this continuity of the link.. The same phenomenon occurs with children who are in a nursery or looked after by a nanny.