Repost: Traveling without kids -- for the first time

I've contributed to the Orlando Sentinel's Moms at Work blog since 2010. The blog is changing content management systems and my old posts will no longer be available to the public, so I'm reposting them here, in the order that they were originally posted.


March 30, 2011

In a couple of weeks, I'm going away on a four-day trip to an out-of-state seminar.

It'll be my first time being away from my daughter overnight. Since my husband's schedule is such that he'd have to take full days off from work in order to pick her up from day care while I'm gone, my newly-retired mother has agreed to come to town to help him juggle childcare for those days.

Even though I know my daughter's every need will be met (and every whim indulged, if my mom has anything to say about it) when I'm gone, I'm still a bit sad about not being with her overnight for the first time in the year-and-a-half and change she's been on Earth.

That's why I've spent a little bit of time searching for tips for parents who travel without their kids.

Here are a few of the ones I've found:

• Make sure your designated caregivers have spent time alone with your child so that the child is comfortable -- and the caregivers know how to handle the child's mood swings and changes
• Make sure your caregivers have access to important documents such as power of attorney forms, birth certificates, etc. in case of emergency
• Call before important daily moments such as breakfast and bedtime (use Skype or other videoconferencing services, if you can)
• For elementary-school-age kids, a map marked with the location of your trip might be both helpful and educational for them
• Bring back a souvenir or two

Moms and dads, what have you found helps to smooth your absence when you're away from your children?