I made Million Miler* on Delta today. I thought the milestone would be reached in a dumb way (just a routine trip to the client site). However, it has been reached on the first leg of an epic trip. This trip was originally planned for September, but we got into a situation where we had to fit it in between the holidays.
Sydney — Kuala Lumpur — Mumbai — Dubai
2.5 weeks away from my children… It’s a trip of a lifetime, yet it’s a lot…
Traveling can suck. The “Million Miler” status is reached with more shock than excitement. With that in mind, and to “celebrate” the milestone, I thought I would share a few tips and tricks that have helped us cope. Curious what tips my fellow travel warriors would add?
- Daniel Tiger – Who would have thought a TV show would become so central to our lives? There is an episode with the theme (and jingle) that goes “grown-ups come back” that helps kids with separation anxiety. When Viv gets sad because mommy is leaving, I sing it to her. When mommy gets sad that mommy is leaving, Viv sings it to mommy. It’s the sweetest thing.
- Videos – FaceTime rarely works for us. Dave has a schedule at home with the kids, a routine it does not help if I interrupt. I often also have an unpredictable and generally unavailable schedule when I’m on the road. So instead of FaceTime, we send videos throughout the day. It allows the receiver to choose when to play it and when to respond. These short videos (which get played and replayed) help give mommy the boost she needs to get through the trip.
- Balance @ Home – When I’m at home, I’m not on my phone (a lot), I’m not working past 6pm (normally). I am present (as much as possible). I am playing. I am teaching. I am mommy. It’s exhausting for me because my down time is not down, my friends are neglected, and I’m normally a new level of tired that I didn’t know could exist. But it’s important that they see me.
- Outsource – I outsourced cleaning and it’s been the most important thing I’ve ever done. I know everyone says this, but if you have the means, get yourself a good cleaner. It’s life changing.
* What does Million Miler get me? Silver Status for life — which really equates to a free checked bag. Trust me when I say it was not worth it.
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