cover image The Business Traveling Parent: How to Stay Close to Your Kids When You're Far Away

The Business Traveling Parent: How to Stay Close to Your Kids When You're Far Away

Dan Verdick. Robins Lane Press, $14.95 (124pp) ISBN 978-0-87659-211-3

Illustrated and designed in a manner more befitting children than adults, this slim volume nevertheless holds a wealth of useful tips for parents who frequently travel on business. Divided into three sections--""Before You Go,"" ""While You're Away"" and ""When You Come Back""--the guide provides creative ideas on how to keep connected to family while on the road. Having the children provide their own itineraries (so you know what they'll be up to in your absence), asking them to help you pack, using faxes and e-mail to stay in touch, adding a fish to the aquarium before each trip or making coupons for a visit to the zoo or some other special outing to be redeemed upon your return--these are just a few of the ideas offered by Verdick, a business-traveling father himself. The book is easy to navigate, though age-appropriate sections would have been useful (a toddler might not get much out of the suggestion to read a map together but would probably love the idea of mom or dad pre-taping a bedtime story). Verdick reminds parents that they ""don't have to bring home a giant stuffed panda"" with every trip. This enthusiastic primer makes a great going-away present to tuck into any parent's suitcase. (May) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.]