Percentage of job travel

MommaP12

What is the maximum % of travel you'd be willing to do for a job and why?  

Is your travel national or international?

Is it one night at a time or cluster of days/nights?  (example, 4 days straight or overnight 4x/month - is one better or worse?)

If you travel significantly (and please let me know what % you consider "significant") how do you and your family manage it?

I've been hesitant to take on jobs that have travel, but given my horrible luck career wise the past 2 years I think I may have to seriously get over it/figure out how to manage it since my current career path is not working out.  

MommyAtty

Pre-kids, I traveled extensively. Like, close to 50% of the time. Now, it ebbs and flows. Right now, I'm sitting in an airport, for example, and I've traveled at least one day a week the past three weeks, and I have at least one short trip per week every week the rest of this year, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Normally, my travel is more like every other or every third week. Generally, I'm gone one or two nights each trip.

DH changed jobs after Kid 2 was born 6 mos ago. His old job required a full week's travel once a month. For our family, long trips are worse. His current job requires occasional travel, and it's of the one or two night variety.

DH is great at taking care of the kids when I'm gone. And his parents help out a lot. He picks the kids up from them about half an hour later than normal so he has time to change clothes, start laundry, take out the trash, etc, without juggling kids.

shannm

I do not regularly travel for work. When I do, it is a week at a time. It is a pain because I basically have to ensure DH is on vacation that week to make it work. I woul consider more of it but would have to get a nanny to take on my kid duties in the evenings and likely mornings too.

2-Step

I used to travel for work about once every couple months for a week at a time, which I don't consider extensive. I still found it difficult to manage with my husband having a demanding career as well. Personally I'd be willing to take that type of job again if it was the right position, but anything more than a trip every few months would be too much for me. I have friends who travel every other week and they make it work. I think it really depends on personal preference and how involved your husband can be depending on his career. I would also rather do a few big trips then tons of little ones. I think my family thrives on consistency and that would throw all of us off. The friend I know that travels the most does have some issues with her kids because they never have a consistent routine, but I think that also depends on the personality types of your children. The travel is really tough on her because she feels guilty and then has a hard time being a disciplinarian when she is home.

Slb22

I travel about 20%. More than half of that is international. Trips are about 4-6 days depending where I am going. I would rather longer trips, less often than lots of little trips.

I have only left twice since LO was born so when I travel H works from home because he can. It works right now. H has no issues taking care of her so that is never a worry to me. He also travels more than I do so we trade off.

Right now is still survival mode for us so we will reassess in a year or so. My job will always have some travel so I accept that it will always be a part of our life

CarrieB.

I travel for sales calls and some client meetings, but it's just one night at a time and I only go out once a month or so.

I can't imagine traveling more than what I do now. Even when DH takes off of work or my mom or my sister fill in for me, my kids are a giant mess when I get home. But they are 3 and 1 and the baby is just very sensitive. Maybe it depends on your kids personalities.

olenkapdx

I traveled about 50% for about six years, almost all out of state/international.  I left that job when I got serious about getting pregnant.   It was a very lucrative job, but I couldn't see myself away from my child.  There was no negotiating less travel, either -- you either did it or you were out of a job.  My current job has a minimal amount of travel, but it's all within the state and I don't do overnights.   I might return to a job with a little more travel sometime down the road, but not back to what I used to do.  Kids or not, I was burned out on constantly living out of a suitcase.  And I grew up virtually in a one parent household, since the other parent was out of town more than at home.  Aside from the financial aspect (which apparently wasn't *that* great), that situation wasn't good for anyone in my family. 

jlaOK

DH travels for work and we decided when he took his current job that traveling 1 week out of every month (~25%) was doable.  His travel is all within the US but varies as far as distance.  As far as being the person who is at home I think I'd rather him go for a week at a time versus a day or two over multiple weeks.  I have to adjust my work schedule when he travels since I have to do all drop offs and pick ups and would rather have one week be disturbed versus multiple weeks.

banks81

I travel twice a month for 2 days at a time (1 overnight).  It's a requirement that all people managers are in the office at least twice a month.  I work remotely at home the other days.  It's a 3.5 hour drive so it's very do-able and I get 2 full working days in.  They are just 2 very long days. Every once in a while I make it a 3 day trip, but not bad.

Someone mentioned something about wanting to stay on a schedule and frequent travel would make that more difficult.  I actually find that this allows me to get into a routine and it isn't as hard leaving during that time.  I would find it more difficult to be gone for a week once a month.  Leaving one morning knowing I'm coming back the next day isn't bad.

The big pro for me - I work from home all other days.  So while I have 2 very long days every other week, the other days I don't have to worry about a commute and I can have laundry going during the day and am able to do other odds and ends during the times other moms would have to be getting ready for work and driving to work.

MommyAtty

I think the posters who say a lot depends on your kids' personalities and your setup are dead-on correct. If I'm gone more than 2 nights, DD is a clingy, horrible mess when I return, sometimes for days. But if I'm only gone a night or two, she's used to that and very blasé. We talk a lot about how Mommy has to take plane trips but she always flies back to her punkins and to Daddy. It helps, too, that DH is a full partner in parenting, and the kids' schedule really doesn't change when one of us is gone. If he was clueless or helpless or unsupportive, my travel would be completely a non-starter.