Bug's First Sleepover

This past Saturday was the first time Bug (2y) has ever spent the night away from us.

Papa and I were going out of town for a conference, and the boys were staying with their grandma. When Josh (8y) was younger, his first sleepover was full of anxiety for me. I packed his things, took him to grandma's, and tried to sneak away without him seeing me leave so he wouldn't be upset. Of course when he realized I was gone he was distraught, and when I came back he was angry with me.

So with Bug we did things differently. We got him a Clifford sleepover book from the library (he loves Clifford!) and read it all week. I told him repeatedly he would have a sleepover at grandma's on Saturday. That morning we packed his bag together, and again I told him repeatedly he was having a sleepover. We got to grandma's (a place he's already familiar with) and went back to the room where he'd be sleeping with his aunt (my little sister who still lives at home). We hung out on the bed, talked again about how Mama and Papa were going to go while he and Josh stayed. When we left we gave him big hugs and kisses and he watched us walk out the door from grandma's arms.

He did really well with it. When we came to pick him up the next morning he was happy to see us, but not in an "OMG where have you been?!" kind of way. In fact, neither of them wanted to leave to go home.