It doesn’t matter – dad or mom traveling for work – the heart break is the same when your little one can’t be told you are leaving because she will cry for hours. Sneaking away while they are still asleep, kissing their foreheads in the dark, so you can catch the 5 AM flight out to get back for dinner at 6 PM. It is emotional. Guilt is terrible. You tell yourself that you do this for the family, for them, to make sure they have what they need. When our kids are younger, parents tell themselves a lot of stories to make traveling for work OK.

With my career path that I chose, I knew that travel would be a requirement. I don’t travel much. No less than once per quarter, but no more than twice per month, if needed. Only once per year do I go for more than three days in a row, but usually never more than two days during general travel. Many times, I will leave in the AM to get home in time for dinner. I travel this way because I still have two kids at home. Do I feel guilty? You bet I do! I accept the travel now as my kids have gotten older, more so, then when they were younger. I would literally cry as I boarded the plane.

I have tried to always use my travel in various ways. One, of course, is to get what I need done for my company, and two, to take care of me. This is my break. Time away to take the quiet bath, read a few pages in the latest book I picked up, or even to catch up on the sleep lost from staying up watching an iCarly marathon with my daughter. I use this time to re-energize myself, so that I don’t take away any additional time from my family once I get home. Now, not saying once they are in bed I don’t read like crazy, but you catch my drift.

When I do travel, I know that my kids are good hands – their Dad’s. Dad and mom are always around, but we try to make the time I am gone into adventures for the kids, so they will look forward to mom leaving. Wow that sounds bad! Not that they want me to go, but they know there is something always neat waiting for them to keep them focused on the prize, instead of mom gone. The last fun travel time? A treasure hunt that we planned out at our local water park for the kids to get in some swimming, some adventures, and an exhausting day of not wondering when mom is going to be home.

Thankfully, I am not the only parent that feels it is OK to use the time away for ME. I know my kids are being well taken care of. I know the adventure they are having while I am working will either be what is talked about at dinner or the hot topic on our many phone calls throughout the day and at night before bed. I know that they will not be scarred for life because we can share our many adventures together. I also know, once in a while they can take a trip with me and see what mom actually does. Will I still feel guilty? Yes. I’m a parent. I think guilt and fear are a given when you have children. Will we be OK? Yes, this I definitely know!

Parents: Do you travel for work? Did you decide to change your career so you wouldn’t travel? What path changed for your career when you had kids? Sound off in the comments!

This is an original The Parent Spot post.