Parents on the Truth About Travel

Daddy Clay: Hey, welcome back to The Lounge brought to you by Baby Bjorn. I am Daddy Clay. Daddy Brad: We are here on the back deck at Freddie’s Place having all appetizers and few cold ones, and I am Daddy Brad. Daddy Owen: I am Daddy Owen and today’s question is—are you secretly excited about taking business trips? Daddy Clay: Are you secretly excited about them? Female: Yes, I am and especially because I got cool cities like New York and San Francisco. Daddy Clay: Do you pretend? Do you go the fake like, “Oh traveling is such a headache”? Female: It is best to fake it I think for everyone involved. Female: I took a trip in April and it was my first real trip away from Arden and I was so—I think I was very outwardly excited. It was in New Orleans. Daddy Owen: Do I secretly look forward to business trips? The answer is yes except take out the word secretly. Daddy Clay: Didn’t you pretend like, “Oh, travel such a— Female: No, I was ready. Daddy Owen: I openly look forward to a trip like yes, I get to go, and of course business trips—I really don’t do much business. Daddy Brad: No guilt at all about leaving a little one home with the hubby? Female: Not so much. Daddy Brad: I start missing the kids before I get on the plane, even before. It starts getting—this can be tough! But I make sure that I call them often. Daddy Owen: Give us a ratio how much do you call? Daddy Brad: I call once a day. Daddy Clay: Once a day. Female: Yes, I do not need everyday. Daddy Owen: International or national? Daddy Brad: National twice. Daddy Owen: What do you tell your kids when you are leaving? Daddy Clay: I do not say anything out a long time in advance because I think if you talk about the days before that— Daddy Owen: Because it makes it a big deal? Daddy Clay: It makes it a big deal and they get anxious about that. Daddy Owen: I do a little bit of the “hey, there is some fun things planned. I will be gone for long” instead of make it kind of more of the adventure. First time I was like gone out of Arden with a talking aid or something and said, “I want to go away for a day or two and I will get you a present. What do you want? What do you want?” and she said, “Something purple.” Daddy Clay: I remember one time I told my son that he needs to be the man of the house while I was gone. And I think it was a bad thing because he ended up crying because they went to a restaurant and he did not have the money to pay for dinner and he felt like that was his responsibility because I usually pay when we go out. And he was in tears because he felt like he was not discharging his duties as dad. Daddy Owen: Well that it is for us the lounge. Daddy Brad: I have got nothing else to say. Daddy Clay: So if you have got a thought on—if you are excited about business trip and how to manage that, leave us a comment. Go to dadlabs.com, go on the community, drop us your thoughts. Make sure that you start a discussion or anything like that. Let us know what you think. That is all for us this week on the Lounge. Daddy Owen: Bye-bye. Daddy Brad: How can you drop your thoughts? You drop stuff Daddy Clay: Oh, just thoughts.