How Can I Get My Little Ones to Friday Without Daddy?

Make a calendar, since its just until Friday, make 3 boxes, each night before bed, let them put a sticker on the day, it gives them a visual of when Friday is, at their age, they don't have a concept of time, the calendar makes the count down easier to understand. Good luck, only 3 more days!

Get out of the house and don't let them fixate on this. The more "poor baby" you do with them, the worse it will be. If you can, try and be matter-of-fact about it: "Daddy will be home in a few days. He's helping Grandpa right now, then he'll be home. Let's go to the park!" Take them for a little treat, like maybe some ice cream or a matinee movie or to go swimming or something. Get out and get moving as much as you can so they don't have time to mope. This has been what we've done over the past year - my job takes me out of town about 50% of the time. At first it was hard on my girls, but my husband keeps them super busy while I'm gone, so they don't have time to cry over me. ;)

Also, wherever I go for work, I take a picture with my cell phone and then email it to my husband. Then he shows them where mommy is, and they LOVE that. (Mommy's sitting in traffic in LA! Mommy's sitting in traffic on the Bay Bridge! Mommy's stepping over stinky homeless guys in the train station! and the list goes on... not so glamorous for me, but apparently a big thrill for small children!)

My husband travels quite a lot for business.
He Skypes the children at least once a day, depending on his time zone.
Children like the skype/video conference system because they get to see daddy, play hide and seek, show him their drawings or other arts, pretend to hit him with a sword and he fells of his chair, read a book together (you can share screen with Skype and find nice on-line children books)...
I noticed that they hate the phone because they do not really associate the voice with their dad even if they know it's him. They get very upset after talking with him on the phone, like if they believe there is something wrong.

Good luck!

I agree with giving them a visual. Make a calendar of the week. And make the boxes big enough for several pictures. Show the entire week on the calendar:
Sunday (3 meals, bed for sleeping at night), Monday (Daddy in a handdrawn car or on a cutout pic of a plane, - however he left for out of town, dinner, bed for sleeping at night), Tues ( 3 meals, with a pic of a telephone where they talked to Daddy, bed for sleeping at night), Wed (3 meals and add whatever activities you have planned - the library? pool?, and a bed for sleeping at night) etc... all the way to Friday... where you show breakfast (picture of pancakes?), lunch, an activity, and a picture of Daddy with your house (draw the house if you need to, a box with a roof will work!).

Then let them mark off the days (and the parts of the day if they want) until Daddy is back home. They will be able to "see" the time. It's more tangible. They'll know they have __ many bedtimes, and _ many breakfasts and lunches, and a trip to the library and a trip to the grocery store, etc until Daddy will be back home. You could even spend some of the time distracting them with plans for a special dinner when he gets home. And making a welcome home banner.

My kids are 4 and 2 and my husband is in the military and travels A LOT! What works for us is making a chain out of strips of paper- one link for each day. We decorate the strips together, then staple them together to make the chain. I hang it in the kitchen so they can see it all day. Before bed every night we cut off a link and count how many days are left. This is the easiest way for my girls to visualize how long until daddy comes home. It works great for us. And if it's bothering them when he calls, tell him not to call until after they go to bed. We've done that for a couple of days here and there when needed.

Awww I can only imagine! That's so sweet. Funny thing, this is one of my earliest memories, but I remember doing the same thing when my mom went out of town for a weekend when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I guess I remember it because it was very emotional! I cried and cried, I was definitely a mama's girl. But my dad pinned up a picture of my mom on the wall right above my bed but in line with where I laid my head on the pillow. He told me to talk to her until I fell asleep, telling her all about my day and what I am looking forward to when she gets back and I really felt like she was there listening. So maybe do the same with their pictures! And I think if you have them talk about what they want to do with Daddy when he comes home, that might help too! I hope this helps a little!

put them up to the table and tell them your going to draw welcome home pictures for daddy, let them sit with you at the computer and write him notes. but don't give them the phone it will make your hubby as nuts as it is you. just keep redirecting them. and if they keep the sobbing etc up tell them it is nap time don't play into the drama. i am assuming that your husband works and is gone for that during the day? just tell them he is still at work and will be home soon. don't give them a time limit kids like to nail the time down and then drive you crazy with it.

Get a calender and show them how far away friday is - at this age they don't really understand time. That might help a little bit. Other than that - just grin & bear it! :)

I agree with the calendar/link of circles for each day, etc. Also, since the end of the week is getting close, start planning a "party for Daddy's return." Have each child make a special card or picture for him when he returns. Have the entire family make a banner to put up when he comes home. Maybe tomorrow you can plan the food (make it something they can help with....veggies with dip they can stir up, pudding they can shake, etc. On Friday, they can help put up the banner, etc. They should have fun with it.

I don't have any good advice, just wanted to tell you that you are not alone. My husband is out of town all week for work, and I am dealing with the same thing. My daughter keeps asking for daddy too. It breaks my heart, but I just tell her he will be home soon. Hang in there mama! Friday will be here before you know it :)

put it on a calender they can see, and put it out every day so and so many days till daddy gets home.
And make a plan to do something this weekend and talk about it.

Empathize with your daughters, so they know you understand how deep their feelings run. They may cry louder and longer if they think you're trying to talk them out of their feelings. Then be cheerful and change the subject, give them something useful to do, help them focus on what's going on right now.

The calendar idea works well for lots of kids – I think that's probably how Advent Calendars were born.

A technique I've used with my grandson, when he's feeling crabby or sad, is to ask him to roll his eyes up toward the ceiling/sky. The physical lift in the facial muscles brings a surprising life in spirits. My grandson ends up giggling, and then feels better.

(Interestingly, a new study shows that people who have botox treatment to freeze expression lines results in patients being less able to emote strongly, or relate to other people's emotions. It seems there is a strong correlation between facial expression and interior experience.)

Oh poor little sweet hearts...and poor MOMMY!!
Id say if calling him makes it worse don't do it?
Man that's a hard situation to be in.
I guess all i can think of is to keep telling them daddy is coming back. Daddy wouldn't leave forever etc.

I'm sorry i can't help more