Have toddlers, will travel.

I've been antsy in my job, trying to find a balance between my ambitions and goals as a parent, and energy (aka lack thereof, after our two punks have put me through the ringer).  I needed a change, and was looking into options, which was challenging as we don't want to leave Vancouver just yet.   I just took a new job (same company), that will involve significant travel through out western US + canada.  My territory is now Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, San Jose, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Orange County, LA and San Diego.  oh man.  That's a long list.

I found initially I focused in a negative way on the travel, as has everyone I spoke of.  "How will your kids cope", trying to figure out how to make it easier on Simon (who also works full time and will really be the one picking up the slack).  Until recently, I would have thought of this as a work vs. family tradeoff, not symbiosis  But in thinking through it, I realized that it's right not just for me and my career, but for our family.

By traveling 2-3 days/week, our kids will be without me for 2-3 mornings and 2-3 nights per week (depending on flight times).  However, that also means that I will work from HOME the other days per week and non-traveling weeks.  And I've really learned to appreciate this in the times I've been able to in my existing role, especially since we got a nanny.  I come upstairs for coffee, bathroom, lunch; and each time we get a visit or a feed or a hug or a story.  Just a few minutes, but think of how often you see the people at work in your breaks, and now imagine that's your kids.  I love being able to feed Vani before sleep, or walk the dog to pick up Riles at pre-school at 2:30 when I can take a "lunch" break, and meet his friends and share in his excitement "fresh".  I work nights to make up for it, but have actual quality time in the day.

To me, the travel is 80% worth this freedom (could I really say 100%?  just wait for the first txt from Simon saying "get home now the kids haven't stopped crying" for me to feel miserable).  But the predictable commute to an 8-5 job would be worse.  I know there are many self-employed or stay at home options; right now let's just take those off the table for a few months.

Who really gets impacted by this?  Simon.  He's a rockstar, but having the two kids alone will be hard, even for him.  By going nanny this year vs. daycare, we pay the same but have a lot more flexibility and fortunately are not having to rush them out the door in the morning.  The number of times she's met them unfed, in pajamas...   And now we're arranging to have her help with bedtime on some of the nights I'll be gone in exchange for Mondays off when Riley is with Si's dad and Vani in daycare.  Still not easy.  So so grateful for my amazing supportive husband.

So wish us luck and stay tuned. 

PS Proud moment?  I was being approached for this job but almost didn't apply as it said 70% travel.  Instead, I applied, and wrote an email clarifying what I could do as far as travel (more than three day trip only once / two months, one week per month requesting only day-trips (calgary, portland and seattle are easy for this).  Ends up being around 40-50%.  Also highlighted benefit to the company (better responsiveness while not traveling, limiting budget).   Since the bosses know I have kids, and have no clue what to do with working females (is it just my companies, or do no executives have working wives?), they all had different perspectives on how much I'd be willing to travel.  By writing it down, we are all on the same page, and I can reference it back when someone is pushing for a heavier travel schedule.