My husband travels for work and this is relatively new to our family. He is often gone for two to three weeks at a time. I work full time and have two kids in extracurricular activities, so originally I was thinking this arrangement was going to be a nightmare for me. I found my survival tips and now I don’t really mind the travel at all!
1. Plan ahead for people to help you, don’t try to do it all! Give your friends and family a heads up that you are going to need some help with the kids extracurricular transportation. I often have kids with activities on the same night and if I can help for both kids then that give me time to get to the grocery, cook dinner, or catch up on the laundry. Also consider some crockpot meals for those nights when you have a lot going on.
2. Get help with the chores. A traveling spouse is a great excuse to hire someone to cut your grass and clean your house! Don’t miss this opportunity!
3. Look at the positives. My husband has racked up enough Delta Skymiles and Hilton Reward points that our family is going to Disney World for free next year. I also get a lot more “me time” when my husband is away. I go to bed at 9 pm almost every night or I get to read on the couch without the T.V. blaring some dumb reality show based on cars.
4. Try to plan fun stuff to do with the kids while the other parent is away. Use the time to do some bonding. Be the cool parent! We do a lot of sleepovers while Dad is away!
5. Get some time for yourself. See if you can arrange for a sleepover for your kids at a friends house so that you can go get that pedi, catch dinner out with a friend, or just relax in a bubble bath.
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