This paper presents partial findings of an ongoing study in Sri Lanka, on children to female migrant domestic workers in the Middle East. The overall aim of the study is to contribute to a contextual understanding of the impact of the mother’s migration on children’s living conditions and everyday life by identifying factors that may worsen or alleviate the condition of being left behind. One emerging factor is the number of migration cycles of the mother. The leading questions are: How do households cope with the responsibility of caring for the children in the face of recurrent migration cycles of the mother? Are the solutions found always in the best interest of the children? Preliminary results indicated a clear relationship between the number of migration cycles of the mother and the level of tolerance and capability of the children’s caretakers in fulfilling their role, which ultimately puts the welfare of the children at risk.