Traveling for work can be deeply rewarding, but it can significantly impact your family life. Balancing a demanding work travel schedule with enough time spent with your family can be a delicate highwire act, necessitating careful planning and thought.
While it might seem challenging at first, nurturing a strong connection with your kids is possible, even when you are frequently away from home. Here are a few tips on maintaining connection with your kids while traveling for work.
Table of Contents
Establish Routine Video Calls
Technology provides a myriad of ways to bridge the physical gap between you and your kids. If you are away for an extended time, establish a routine for video calls every night, providing a visual connection that goes beyond just a standard telephone call.
Platforms like Google Meet and WhatsApp Video make it easy to stay in touch face-to-face, and you can even set up games and activities using Facebook Messenger and FaceTime, to add a little extra enjoyment. Whether just catching up or helping with homework, this is a great way to stay connected.
Create a Shared Digital Journal
Documenting your travels can help your kids get more of an understanding of where you are and what you are up to. By creating a shared digital journal you make this more interactive, allowing your kids to compare their days with yours, through text, images, or voice notes. A digital journal acts as a shared space where you can update each other on your experiences and thoughts.
Surprise Them with Snail Mail
While technology makes communication fast and easy, you shouldn’t underestimate the impact of more traditional communications. A handwritten letter or postcard can be an unbelievably charming and delightful thing for your kids to receive, particularly if you are away for an extended period of time.
Set Up Virtual Story Time
If you are checking in with your kids every night, why not read them a bedtime story over video? Reading together helps maintain the connection whatever the distance, and helps them stick to their usual routine without too much trouble.
Embrace Interactive Online Games
The internet offers a wealth of potential for playing together even if you aren’t in the same physical location. There are a multitude of games and apps that allow interactive play, from online quizzes to more involved multiplayer games. This helps involve you in your kids’ enjoyment and maintains a bond across the distance.
Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
If you only have a few moments with your kids every day, and only by video, then quality is what really matters. Be fully present during all calls, games, and interactions, have significant, meaningful conversations, and don’t hold back on how you (and they) are feeling. Quality moments are the ones that will stick with your kids for longer, so make sure yours count.
Plan Special Homecomings
Make your homecoming even more special by booking a weekend cruise on your return, planning some time on the beach, or arranging a special activity or event when you get home. By having something to look forward to, your kids will be anticipating your return that much more, fostering excitement and removing some of the sting of your absence.
Traveling for work on a regular basis does have an impact on your connection with your kids, but with a few strategies and some careful planning, it can be managed effectively. Be creative about how you stay in touch and the novelty will help overcome the distances. The strategies above offer a few different ways to make those moments count and to maintain the bond you have with your family.
