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Traveling Job... With a Family

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by exmediahack, Dec 10, 2009.

  1. exmediahack

    exmediahack Well-Known Member

    Hello,

    Looks like I am a bit closer to my escape from this business. (Finally!)

    Yet the job I may soon accept will involve 40-50% travel. Out of state, lots of planes and coasts (West/East) for me.

    I've been a 'homebody' dad for the last 8 years. Always there for my kids and my wife. She is supportive in that the money will be good but we both know my traveling could put a strain on this.

    Anyone here (beat writers, for example) able to pull this off and still be involved at home? All I can think about is just trying to maximize my home time. (No naps, be active with the kids - regardless of whether you are tired, make time for the children, etc).

    Any tips on this from other parents out there? We have done a solid job of raising children to this point and I need to know how to adapt, if this is the path I choose. I'd like to think I've built up enough 'credits' with my kids through the years but I know it's more complex than that.

    Thanks all...
     
    exmediahack, Dec 10, 2009
    #1
  2. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    I have a friend that does a crazy amount of travel for work. He's married with a son about 4. I think the key for him is that when he's not on the road, he works from home. That seems to make it much more tolerable for everyone.
     
    PCLoadLetter, Dec 10, 2009
    #2
  3. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    Good luck, ex.

    Will add this, even if you already know it: The children are important, but make time for your wife, too.
     
    buckweaver, Dec 11, 2009
    #3
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Straight weekdays, weekends off?
    I was gone A LOT. Too much. Troubled me greatly to the point where I offered to get off the train several times and the family encouraged me to keep doing what I enjoy.
    Good news is I could do a lot of work from home when I was at home and I often had time during the week to do things other parents couldn't. Hit Subway and go to lunch with the kids at school. Go on field trips. Every couple of years, I had enough points built up to take the family on a cool vacation.
    The kids always seemed to accept that Dad would be there when he could and wouldn't when he couldn't - and they dealt with it. I probably made half of my daughter's field hockey games. She wasn't a big scorer but I never did see her score a goal.
    I've told my Stephen A. Smith story before. My son was up for admission into a school around here and I was on the road the day he would hear. This was prehistoric times, I had a pager and not a cell phone. So we worked out codes. I'm courtside when the thing buzzes. He's IN! I share the news with the strangers around me and Stephen, sitting next to me, slides over his phone and says, "That's worth a call." I whip out my credit card and he says, "No, no. This one is on us. Congrats to your son."

    Bottom line is you have to work like hell to make it work but it can darn sure work.
     
    Moderator1, Dec 11, 2009
    #4
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