“Jackie is having such a hard time that Nick and I are both gone, that it gives her a stomach ache”

Photography: Kee & Kee

Kirsten Schilder (39) is married to singer Nick Schilder and mother of Nikki (12), Julian (10) and Jackie (6).

Do you know that? That you are looking forward to a date night with your man? And that you give your children extra attention that day, but they don’t like it at all that you leave for a few hours? Jackie is having such a hard time with Nick and I both being gone that it gives her a stomach ache.

Pleasant dinner

Thanks to the dear grandpa and grandma, Nick and I always have a nice dinner afterwards. And how nice is it to come home later in the evening and take a look at the three sleeping children. We quietly relieve the babysitter, crawl under the covers and disappear into dreamland.

Tension

Until suddenly Jackie is next to our bed! She woke up and wants to make sure we’re back. The relief radiates from her face, all tension is gone. It’s a pity that she was so worried that she even got out of bed to come to us. She is six, she could just sleep so well…

“We crawl under the covers and disappear into dreamland. Until suddenly Jackie is next to our bed!”

Solution

Last Wednesday, when I walked into a toy store with Jackie, the solution was threefold in front of me: three plush feet, for happiness, hope and love. Jackie chose the fairy of hope, I guess because she has such a beautiful hair color as herself.

Every night she falls asleep with her cuddly toy. And we agreed: if mom and dad are out for a night, we’ll put the fairy on her bedside table when we get home. That’s how Jackie will know when she wakes up that we’re back. And we can all sleep well.