Travel without your child

[nabum]

I'm going to be in Asia for work for 10 days next month. My son is 15 months and will be home with our nanny during the day and my husband at night/on the weekends. Does anyone has any tips on how to make this long trip easier on everyone at home? I've done a lot of work travel since he was born but the longest I've been gone is 5 days. 10 is going to seem like an eternity (although I'm grateful that it's only 10- it was originally slated to be 14 days.)

[elocrates]

When either of us travel (rarely) or have a stretch of funky hours at work, we do the following:

- set the kids' clothes out for each day we'll be gone
- stock up on diapering supplies and make sure we have tylenol and ibuprofen available
- make a meal plan for each day and pre-make/ freeze as much as possible, grocery shop for all the fresh stuff before leaving
- if it is going to be a longer trip like yours, we schedule a babysitter or our parents to take the kids for a couple hours one time to give the non-traveling parent a little break on the weekend
- try to talk on the phone for a couple minutes each day, skype is awesome if possible
- non-traveling parent makes sure to email a picture and a little update each day

These things help us take some stress off the non-traveling parent and help the traveling parent stay a little connected.

Enjoy your trip!

[minzy]

That does sound tough. I'd try to Skype daily if at all possible. Could you maybe leave out some pictures of yourself with the baby so he can see them? If your husband's phone has the capability, can you make a few videos of yourself and your son so he can flip through them when you're not there?

Maybe do a big grocery/toiletry run before you leave to make it easier on your husband while you're gone?

[fbf2006]

My sister's kids are 4 and 9 now, but she started 2 week international travel a couple of years ago. She leaves on a Saturday and comes back 2 Fridays later. Basically, she makes sure she skypes with them every/most nights, even with the time difference (she stays up much later). I believe she also has a meal plan and instructions/detailed information for the nanny on the fridge.

[nabum]

Thanks for the advice so far. We have tried to facetime with my son and it just makes him upset