Traveling Parents give less than two weeks notice

Despite the huge increases in the cost of air travel and opportunity to manage those costs by booking two weeks in advance, only 1 reader taking our poll was able to give their family more than two weeks notice about an upcoming business trip. Most readers could give 1-2 weeks notice with 40% giving less than 1 week.

I think this is pretty significant given the impact "sudden" changes in routines can have on younger kids. Not only that, but short notice adds stress to the spouse staying home because in impacts their ability to plan around your travel schedule. Things become more reactive than proactive. That could mean car pools, play dates, and other appointments fall apart, which amplifies that fact that your travel is interrupting routines.

All that carries a risk of creating a situation where nobody wins: stressed kids + stressed spouse = stressed business traveling parent!

What can be done about it? I suppose the general rules of talking the child and finding some way for them to become a part of the process (packing, checking weather, discussing their plans while you're gone, etc...) should help the kids cope. I'm not how that helps with spouse who is also left with interrupted routines.

Maybe with increases in airfares and cuts in the numbers of flights, all of us might be traveling a bit less. Or maybe we'll be forced to plan a bit further ahead in order to get the best fares.

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