Any experience saying goodbye?

[katiec68]

Originally Posted by Tubbsy

You know your daughter best
But I think your plan is best
What your heart says (waving off at the airport) and what your head says are 2 different things.
Just check with MD that she's ok with it as it's her feelings too. Yes, she's 18 but she's still probably feeling wobbly.

Tell YD you can make a big banner got when she comes home for visits.

As a wife whose husband served 25 in the army and we had years of comings and goings, for short and lobg trips, airport goodbyes are nowhere near as glamorous as the film's make out. There's lots of standing round and looking at boards and making the same conversations
You've then got the sad drive home :/
But you know your children best
DH still travels in his civvy job - he's just left for Holland this morning.
My two have done it so much, my DH poked his head to say goodbye to my DS and all he got was an impersonation of Chewbacca! But we had the tears when they were younger and it was better for us to distract then prolong the situation.

Congratulations to your 18 year old. What an amazing opportunity!

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My dad worked away all my childhood. We would never really do any of the big goodbyes and I dont remember my mum ever traipsing all 4 of us kids to the airport to say goodbye - often he left at 4am!
but I remember very clearly one occasion when he was sailing away from our home town for 3 months.
Me and me second sister were both under 10 and had the afternoon off to go down and wave goodbye.

The difference for the OP isn't that this is a one off - not a regular occurrence.

xxx

[katiec68]

OP - just a thought.

Have you asked both DDs what they would want?

Katie x

[Talland 2016]

Originally Posted by katiec68

OP - just a thought.

Have you asked both DDs what they would want?

Katie x

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Very true
Does DD want everyone to wave her off at the airport or would she rather a family goodbye at home and then one or both (if possible), parent/s at airport
Maybe a nice family meal/day out the day before

[clochette]

I would also say no airport. In fact, I am not sure yet whether I will go to the airport when D'S flies off to Shanghai university in 3 weeks time and bigger of her siblings ( one older and one younger) will be voing. We will go for a fami!y meal the night before and say goodbye at home so we can get the tears over and done with in private and DH will probably take her in his own, as he can be relied on not to give in to his emotions, lol!

Congratulations to your daughter and enjoy life of visits!

[princess allie]

I would definitely take her to the airport. Very important for you to be there for your middle daughter. I had a similar experience when we dropped eldest at uni for the first time and our other DS was only 5. Yes he was very upset and we all cried a lot. But it is a fact of life and I don’t agree with shielding children from everything. Maybe plan a treat to do after the goodbyes? We went to a theme park the next day and it helped as it was something to look forward to. I assume your daughter will skype while she is away, so your younger daughter needs to learn to get used to this separation.