Being a freelance writer and editor means I have the flexibility to work from wherever, whether that’s on a hospital bed getting induced, late at night after the kids go to sleep, or in a nice hotel on a work trip.
It’s not always glamorous, but it certainly has its moments, and it’s a joy to include my family when possible.
When I went on a three-day work trip to Palm Springs — about a 2½-hour drive from our home in San Diego, but closer to 3½ with all the pit stops — I was happy that the hotel allowed me to bring my 3-month-old, my 2½-year-old toddler, and my husband.
It’d be my first time bringing both kids on a work trip, and our first overnight excursion as a family of four.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was excited to spend time together
Carmen Varner
The car was packed to the brim with diapers, clothes, carriers, and anything else we could think of for a multi-night stay away from home.
I’d just gotten back from my first-ever work press trip away from the kids the day before, and my husband had returned from a work trip a couple of days before that.
I’d put a lot of work experiences on hold with my first child and couldn’t afford to do the same with my second.
Despite feeling overbooked, I said yes to both trips and was glad to take my family along for the second one; I didn’t want to be away from them again, at least not in such a rapid succession.
And with my husband and me both traveling, we just want to spend a couple of nights together as a family. I knew I’d be busy, but I didn’t know how intense the trip would be.
Navigating work commitments and family was challenging
Carmen Varner
On day one, I was shuttled around with a couple of other journalists for a three-course lunch and a dessert tasting. During breaks and at night, I rushed back to the hotel to help my husband.
I recall walking into the hotel the first night to him baby-wearing the 3-month-old in a carrier while patting my toddler’s back; both were successfully asleep.
That night, we all slept soundly through the whole night, unbothered. The next day was not nearly as streamlined.
Between scheduled events, I returned to the hotel for a quick break to nurse and was out again.
Meanwhile, my husband was behind on work, since he couldn’t do virtually anything with the two young kids, other than entertain them and explore the hotel.
Carmen Varner
That night, I nursed the baby and patted my toddler’s back at the same time so my husband could work. I kind of felt like a superhero there for a second.
Once they were finally sleeping soundly, my husband and I hung out in the bathroom since the hotel room was otherwise one big open area, and we didn’t want to wake them up.
We whispered next to the shower, eating the cold mashed potatoes I’d brought back from an event. After that, we both attempted to catch up on work on our laptops and ultimately went to sleep exhausted — but our night didn’t end there.
The baby woke up more times than we could count, and the toddler roused from all the hubbub, too. We were drained and exhausted, and all I could think of was that I had to be up early for a tour of a date farm at 8 a.m.
Despite all the hubbub, I’d happily do this again
Carmen Varner
I had fun going out for a few hours at a time and being an adult without having to monitor two kids, but I came back to reality every break and evening at the hotel.
Granted, my husband did the brunt of the work while I was out and about, but it’ll remain a family memory and a trip we otherwise would’ve never had.
Even with the disarray, I still got to share parts of the experience with my children: bringing back restaurant dishes to try together, watching my toddler take in beautiful hotel room views, and enjoying nice hotel breakfasts.
Despite long hours and late nights working, we still fit in small family moments into an otherwise work-focused trip. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
