Are business traveling moms news…
So a story on the front page of the New York Times reveals a new study of how women business travelers are on the rise. But the focus of the story is not how women are making their mark on the business world. Rather, it’s about how moms who travel on business see the trips as a break away from the children. One woman talks about how nice it is to be without her two screaming twins and “grumpy preteen” when she’s making business jaunts.
Does anyone think a story about how dads on the road for business happy to leave their families behind would have made it on the front page, or any page of a major newspaper?
Here’s a link to the story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/01/business/01travel.html?hp&ex=1162443600&en=f1023755c78d1721&ei=5094&partner=homepage
What are your thoughts? Is it only moms who see business trips as “mini-vacations” as the author writes?
(I just got back from a business trip promoting my book “From the Sandbox to the Corner Office” in Florida and my hubby came a long on the trip for moral support. When we got back everyone commented on how rested he looked. I, on the other hand, looked like something the cat dragged in. And, I must admit, very happy to see my screaming, grumpy kids.)
November 1st, 2006 at 11:43 pm
Not sure how much this is a stereotype of traditional female roles as it is an indictment of the family unit in general in the modern age. There isn’t a parent alive who hasn’t briefly — if not guiltily == wished to be clear of a screaming child. In the past, most women lacked the ability to make a break for it without being seen as pariahs. The two-income family today gives fathers and mothers an acceptable ‘out’, if you will, tho this parent takes it one step further apparently and freely admits it. And so it goes …
November 2nd, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Very interesting observation. I hadn’t thought of that.
November 2nd, 2006 at 3:44 pm
No matter how you cut it, business travel still creates guilt on the part of many women. I am currently interviewing for a job position which requires about 15 % travel and there is a gender divide for parents on the question of travel. Dads dont ponder that part of the job description while the moms fret over it and ask questions to understand the parameters of the travel requirement. Also, on my last business trip, I was amazed that some of my female colleagues decided to bring their children with them! Granted it was Sanibel Island and there were many funs things for the kids to do, but still, I think guilt provided the motivation for brining them along. Personally, I enjoyed the trip and the travel away from the kids.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:00 pm
I was wondering the same thing about this article. Isn’t getting away from the pressures and routines of life why everyone enjoys a little travel now and then? It kind of reminds me of the feeling I get when dads refer to taking care of their own children as “babysitting.”