We’ve all been there, you have a work trip scheduled soon, and you are already stressing out about how the kids will do when you are gone. When they are little you worry if they will forget you. You worry if whoever is in charge while you are gone will take care of them like you would. You worry they will miss you (and then you worry they won’t). Ugh, the life of a working mom! Well while I can’t simply get rid of your need to travel, I can share some simple tips to make your next work trip just a little bit easier on you and your family.
6 Tips to Make Life Easier Traveling as a Working Mom:
1. Milkstork
If you are breastfeeding, this is hands-down my number one tip. www.milkstork.com is a service that helps you with getting your precious liquid gold back to your little one at home. I have no affiliation with this company, but I have used them several times and have always had a great experience. You can either overnight it back home or tote it with you using one of their cooler totes. I always ship my milk back if I am flying. You should also speak with your employer about whether they will reimburse you or cover these expenses, as many will.
2. Leave Detailed Instructions
If you are the kind of Mama who has extreme anxiety leaving your baby with another caregiver, this will give you some peace of mind. It can also help avoid a million phone calls with questions when you are working/traveling.
3. Leverage Facetime / Video Calls to stay connected
I am sure this one goes without saying in today’s world, but staying connected through technology can really make it easier to be away. Seeing that your children are doing just fine without you (because they will Mama) can put you at ease and help them deal with you being away too.
4. Discuss the Trip with your Kids Beforehand
For toddlers and older children, it can be helpful to let them know you will be going away. I like to plan some quality time together (even if it’s just a day trip to a family member’s or a museum) for when I get back. That way, I can tell my daughter something to the effect of “Mommy will be away for 2 wake ups, and then when I get back we will go to the aquarium and spend the day together.” She does seem to remember this because when I call while I am away she often asks about what we are going to do when I get back.
5. Soak in the Benefits
Hey, let’s face it. There can be a lot of benefits to being away from the kids. SLEEP being numero uno for me. But also, alone time, room service, social time, time to actually style your hair/do your makeup…the list goes on and on. If you have to be away, you may as well look on the bright side.
6. Let go of the guilt
Every mom I know who is away from their kids for any length of time has some level of guilt about it. But know this Mama: You are doing what is best for your family. Even by being away from them, you are helping to provide for them and give them the best life possible. So let go of the guilt, it’s just one more thing weighing you down.
Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear some of your tips for traveling as a working mom! If you liked this post, be sure to check out this post on How Kids Benefit from Having a Working Mom.