I just returned from a two day business trip with two male colleagues.
One night the dinner conversation turned to who watches my 13-year old daughter when I travel. I have been divorced for 8 years and have always traveled for my job.
I have no family living close by who can assist and rely solely on a support network I have built up over the years. What amazes many is how nonchalant I am that this is just a fact of my life. For me it is a conscious choice I made so I could pursue the career I wanted.
When I took my position, I discussed with senior management my situation and how much I was willing to travel. We worked together and turned the situation into what has resulted in a win/win situation for both.
The amount of traveling I do for the company is typically brought up around review time to ensure that both parties are still fine with the arrangement. I have found that having this open dialogue and a support system in place to care for my daughter when I travel has taken the guessing game out of ‘Am I doing enough for my career and my daughter? ’ and allows me to focus on my job. After all, isn’t that what they pay me for?
How do you handle business travel as a single, divorced mom?
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