OK...it wasn't a scientific study, but the results of our recent poll showed that most of this blog's readers took busines trips that were 2 or 3 nights.
Oddly, that's not my experience. In my business travling experience, it's been either 1 night or 5+ nights. Unlike the survey participants, I don't recall taking many trips in the middle.
Another odd thing is that for my family, the short trips are more disruptive than the longer trips. I think I know why. With a longer trip, there is more planning and preparation, which means the kids are more aware of the fact that I'm leaving. The shorter trips get treated more casually and consequently, the kids are less aware. So when I finally announce I am not going to be home, it came across more abrupt to the kids. And that's not good for them.
Which creates an interesting topic for the next poll: How many days do you normally have between realizing you'll have to travel and actually leaving? Take the poll on the right and we'll compare notes.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Survey Results: Most travel 2-3 nights
Monday, February 11, 2008
Group Therapy for Business Traveling Parents
I've just created a Google Discussion Group to help expand the discussion of issues facing families with a business traveling parent.
While I've hoped this blog would seed a community, the truth is it's me talking to you. And since I'm no more credible than the next person on being a parent or a business traveler, I've finally gotten around to taking this next step of creating a group. Importantly, this new group discussion has the potential to be far more valuable to the person staying home with the kids. (For starters, I've posted some new great tips from Dr. Sherryl Goodman of Emory University to help make the site helpful right out of the blocks.)
Take a spin to the link above and tell what you think. If you think I'm right (right that I've opened the discussion more wider and right that it's more helpful to the person minding the kids), please spread the word to spouses or other caregivers who mind the kids while you travel.
Let's all help the children of business travelers benefit from the great experience we gathered as a group...experience as parents and business travelers!
