Travelling for business and work can become very tough when you are a dad and have a family. Considering you probably feel like you miss out on so much special time, here are a few ways to make leaving that much easier and ensure you don’t miss out.
Pre-Departure
Before you leave, ask yourself questions like “can you fly with a vape in Australia” and tick them off. It’s the small things that can make leaving easier. The first thing you should do is talk to your kids about how long you are going for and when you will be back.
Children don’t have the same concept of time as we do, and saying “I’ll only be gone for the weekend” will sound like an eternity for them. Tell them how many sleeps it will be before you see them again, as this is something they can often comprehend a bit better.
Your Kids
Speaking of your kids, there are several things you can do to make being away easier for both you and them.
Spend Time with Them Before You Leave
If you are going to be away for an extended period, make an effort to spend some good quality time with them leading up to your departure date. Go on outings, make them dinner, even just going on a walk with them; it all counts.
Being away means you will lose out on time with them; therefore, the best way to combat this is to make the extra effort to spend more time with them before you leave.
Call Them Regularly
If you would typically sit down with your kids after school or after dinner and ask them what they did that day, don’t let that stop when you are travelling. Call them as often as you can and do the same thing, even if it is only for five minutes.
Also, be sure to call them on days when they have big events, such as a school presentation or a sports game. Once again, even if it is just to ask how it went, a two-minute conversation about it is better than not calling at all.
Ask Them Tons of Questions
While calling is important, don’t forget to ask them about the little things. Kids, especially young ones, are learning new and exciting things every day. Because of this, don’t miss out on the chance to ask them questions and let them tell you what they have learned.
Once again, one of your goals is to have constant communication, as this will not only help keep your bond with your kids strong even when you are away, but it can end up feeling like you never left.
Say Good Morning & Goodnight to Them
Another important detail to not miss out on is saying good morning and goodnight to them. Considering these are two things that are part of the daily routine, your kids will notice and possibly get upset, if it doesn’t happen when you aren’t there.
Skype, Even if There’s Nothing to Talk About
While this may be difficult if you are busy or in a different time zone, it is still something to try. Video calling your family and simply leaving the call running is a great way to be part of the day-to-day activities without being there.
While you don’t have to call at dinner and eat at the same time, calling to help with your kids homework or just to hang out is easily one of the simplest ways to be part of their lives without the need to physically be there.
Bring Back Small Keepsakes
While not a necessity, the one thing you can do to lessen the blow of leaving is to bring a small gift back. This can be a toy, a book, or a piece of clothing, but a gift that your child loves will almost always make them instantly forget you had ever left.
If you travel a lot and to many different states, cities, or countries, you can also bring them back something unique to where you have been. After a few months or years, your children will have a collection of some incredibly unique items from around the world.
What to Remember When you Come Back
If you have been gone for several weeks or months, there are a few things you should remember and try to do when you get back home. The first thing is to try and quickly slot into whatever new routines your family has developed, as this can make it easier for you to get involved again fully.
The next thing you should do is to make time to spend a day with your kids. If you have more than one child, dedicate a day to each of them so that one doesn’t feel like they are getting less attention compared to their siblings.
As you can see, travelling as a dad doesn’t have to be difficult when you know a few ways to make the time away from your family feel like nothing. If you just keep in contact, and make the effort when you get back, travelling won’t make the slightest bit of difference to them.
