I am sorry too, about the babies Busting, here is what I think.
It is time to make H coming and going the new normal for the kids. I know it's not ideal and I know it's not perfect, but what I do know is if you say that it is normal and okay,the kids will think it's so. Not right away, but eventually.
If you act like everyone else does this and it is fine, so will they.
Here is the thing. I will bet, unconsciously, the kids are getting your projected vibe about how much you hate the situation.
This is a weird analogy but it's the only one I can think of:
I've had dogs. I've also had passive/aggressive ones who had trouble walking on the lead. No matter how hard I tried to pretend that everything was cool and good when we passed other dogs, my PA ones always read that I was stressed out about what was coming, what could happen.
I think kids can read this too. So, my solution was to walk him more and more, exposing him to more and more dogs and I became comfortable and so did he. The walking on the lead was the new normal.
I am not saying your kids are dogs (sit! stay!) but mine can smell my anxiety a mile away.
So maybe it's time to make it the new normal. Of course they will miss their Dad when he goes back, but in time it will be a routine. I know it is not one you or the kids want, but it is what is here right now.
