How to Take Kids on a Business Trip… Successfully
Sometimes you have no choice but to take your kids along on a mandatory business trip. But how can you keep your family entertained and content while still being able to attend to your company’s needs and get your own work done?
Continue reading for a few helpful tips that will help you plan ways to take your kids on a business trip and do so successfully and with the least amount of stress possible.
Is It Really Okay to Take the Kids?
The first thing you need to do is find out from your boss and colleagues if it is even okay for you to take your kids along on the business trip. For example, your boss may need to check with a conference venue provider to be certain that kids will be allowed at an event, or they may need to confirm that you will be staying at a kid-friendly hotel. You likely will not encounter resistance, but this is the most respectful and safest route to take.
Before you even ask your boss about taking your kids along, ask yourself if you think the trip will be predictable enough for your kids to not become stressed. Find out if the environment that you are going to be in will be welcoming to children, and if you can realistically get work done and still have time for your kids.
Travel with Someone Who Can Watch the Kids
Whether you’re able to invite your spouse, an in-law, a parent, or a friend to join you on your business trip, it is a good idea to travel with someone who will be able to watch your kids while you are working at the office. I do this often when I extend my trip to have an additional family day while at my work destination.
Of course, you do not want to inconvenience anyone, so make sure you invite someone along who will be glad to travel and happy to help.
But if you are unable to find anyone who is willing to travel with you, make sure that there are nurseries or day care centres where you can drop off the kids before you head to work. Fortunately, my oldest is old enough to watch the younger two when I travel.
Plan Things To Do
Your kids will easily get bored if there aren’t enough entertaining things to do while they are away from home with you for your business trip, whether you are attending a professional business conference or you have to meet with a team of colleagues in an office to get an important project done.
Therefore, be certain that you can schedule some family time and plan some fun things to do with the kids throughout the trip. In this way, it is not only a work related trip, but also a mini vacation for the family.
Taking your kids on a business trip is a great way to mix business with family, but you should take the proper steps to ensure this is the best decision for everyone involved, from your colleagues to your kids. Once you have a strategy in place, you can rest assured that everyone will enjoy the experience.