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After asking my manager to attend a conference I felt would be extremely valuable for our team, he finally said yes, and I should have been thrilled, but then reality hit! This will actually be the first time I will be away from my 2 year old for 5 consecutive days!

As the thought of separation from my toddler begins to cast dark clouds over my otherwise sunny and beautiful daydreams, I remember, technology is here to help us stay connected.

I was told by her Daycare teacher that I have to prepare her well by talking about the conference ahead of time– but as soon as I mention “Mummy having to take an airplane” she starts to cry.

Whenever I have questions regarding new parenting situations, I check out what the experts have to say.

• Ms. Smith, founder of MomTini Lounge, believes children thrive on routine and structure. To minimize the disruption at home caused by travel, she suggests canceling any unnecessary commitments like play dates to streamline the family schedule.
• Phaedra Cucina, author of the picture book “My Mommy’s on a Business Trip” advises mothers to use Skype video to show their younger children their hotel room when they are away on a trip. She notes, “it’s comforting for a young child to see mommy in her hotel room waving and making silly faces.” I will be sure to try this method, but I have a feeling it might cause my daughter to cry more and want to be right there with me.
• My Tips?
• Make sure you have all of your child’s medical records in one easily locatable place so the caretaker watching your child while you are away can easily find important info. If organization is not one of your top strengths, you might want to invest in a mobile app like ‘mother knows’ where you can have all of your child’s records at the tips of your fingers via an iPhone app.

Have you ever left your Toddler at home for a Business Trip and have some successful tips to share? We would love to hear them.

Thanks for reading,

Layla – Guest Blogger

Recalls Plus is a Knowledge Partner on Yahoo! Answers.

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Not a day goes by, on leaving my daughter in daycare, that her little brown eyes don’t well up with tears, looking up at me so sadly, reluctantly removing the buttons of her coat and stomping her feet in protest. I press my lips so hard they bleed sometimes, and force a smile on my face, telling her I’ll be back soon to pick her up and take her to the park (when in reality, in most cases I barely make it home in time for bedtime).

It’s a common dilemma for many mothers – going back to work after the baby. In many cases it’s not a choice, but a financial necessity, yet we are filled with overwhelming guilt. Can I be a good mom and rock at my career?

The guilt, of course, is almost exclusively a female problem.  I have yet to meet a Dad who expresses guilt for having to work and provide for his family. So I work, very hard.  As well as running a few volunteer networking  groups, giving back to the community, regular visits to Granny and all the other things that ‘Momdom’ entails. It’s like keeping the plates spinning – needing organization, patience and coordination.

Like every other Mom, I end up working twice as hard in the workplace, because I face a different type of guilt there -  am I putting in as much time as my non-mom colleagues?   Will skipping Social Happy Hour reflect negatively on me?  I’d rather be home drinking juice with my daughter… but will they think I am not a team player?

Luckily, I work for a company marketing a product that is truly servicing Moms: Recalls Plus is a fantastic new app to help busy Moms by alerting them to any recalls of their kids’ stuff, including vital allergy alerts. It’s a product I really believe in.  But, ironically, a new type of guilt is emerging now.  Why? Because I actually love what I do.

I asked my husband if I was a bad Mom for wanting to steal a precious hour on a Saturday morning to write this blog, instead of making Belgian Waffles from scratch like I usually do?  My husband looked at me stupefied, “What is wrong with Eggo”?

Of course, a good Mom would probably take this opportunity to educate him on all the facts associated with why one must avoid processed food, but instead, I grab our video camera and our daughter, and head out to combine motherhood, playdate and work in this fun new video.

Any thoughts on dealing with “motherhood guilt” would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading,

Layla – Guest Blogger

Recalls Plus is a Knowledge Partner on Yahoo! Answers.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!