4 tricks to make work travel easy for kids

Travelling for business can be a pain for any parent. I dealt with this first-hand when I recently went away for work. I honestly was in knots just thinking about how things might fall apart in my absence; but then I got my mind right and devised a plan. And while not foolproof, it definitely eased the travel jitters and tears for all parties involved.

Do a dry run of the schedule: Routines are essential in our household, especially since so many people have so much to do at any time of the day. It's really has become a well-oiled locomotive and I am the conductor 99.5% of the time. Getting my mom to spear-head the chauffeuring to and from extracurricular activities, as well as oversee the at-home stuff (i.e. reading time, signing practice sheets, etc) really helped to have #myguyshii see her as the stand in caregiver and authority while I was away. Doing a dry run can help to avoid any tactics such as "kidnipulation" or temper tantrums that may occur when someone else steps into execute daily schedules.

Leave a love letter: On the day that you are leaving take a little extra time to pen a written note to your your one letting them know that you are going to miss them while you are gone, but will be back soon. Throwing in a factoid or two about your destination can also ease the angst and make your little human feel like they are going to. For instance, the last trip that I went on I left a letter for my son in the mailbox letting him know where I was going, how I was getting there and when I was coming back. I also asked him to think of some questions that he wanted me to answer about the place I was visiting; and asked him to look up 5 interesting facts about my destination so we could compare when I got home.

Reach out daily: Face Time is a Godsend whenever I go away. It gives me the chance to interact and get some quality face-to-face with Shii. He also feels less tense about me being away because he's actually seeing my face and/or hearing my voice. Go one step further and designate some time to read a bedtime story or watch a show so you can have some special bonding time, just like when you are at home.

B at the Eternal Flame on Parliment Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Go site seeing:  ​Try and find some time to get around the city you're in. While I can totally relate to the hectic schedule that you may have when you are there for professional reasons, finding the cool places and popular tourists attractions can make you a superstar with your kids. I suggest making a virtual storyboard or video of what you saw while you were on the move so you can share it with your bambino when you get home. It'll also be cool yo get them excited and possibly plan a trip to that spot for pleasure rather then business. After all, all work and no play makes mom a dull girl! 

XX, 
B. 
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