While mum's away

By COLIN MOORE

Ever day may be Mother's Day when it comes to business travel, according to a survey of business travellers Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.

The survey of 300 business travellers and their children showed that business travel may be a guilt trip for many mothers, who reported that while on the road they missed their children and often felt guilty about being away.

While 93 per cent of the mothers polled said they missed the kids while on the road, only 83 per cent of the fathers said they did.

Research also showed that female business travellers felt more guilty about being away from home than their male counterparts.

Leaving dad at home didn't eliminate the worries either, since mothers were less likely to trust their spouses with the kids. They worried that dad would let the children stay up past bedtime and watch banned TV shows.

Travelling mothers were more likely than fathers to miss the kids and child-related activities.

Nearly half the mums said they missed "spending time with my children," compared to 35 per cent of the dads who said they missed the kids.

And women missed tucking the children into bed twice as much as men.

To make up for their absences, mothers were more likely than fathers to spend extra time with the children when they came home from a trip.

For many mothers, though, a business trip signalled a break from family routine.

More women than men said they enjoyed the break from their children (42 per cent as opposed to 28 per cent).

Women also were more likely to say, "I think a business trip is a break from home responsibilities."

Sheraton's survey, conducted by Guideline Consulting, highlighted several discrepancies between mothers and fathers.

Mothers were more likely to say: "I miss my children while I'm away" or "I feel guilty about my children I've left behind."

Women were more concerned than men that their spouses would let the children stay up past bedtime and watch banned TV shows.

While 81 per cent of fathers left the children with their wives, 30 per cent of the women said they asked their mothers to look after their children.

Men were more likely than women to miss spending time with their spouses, whereas women tended to miss their spouses less than their children.

Women were more likely than men to spend extra time with their children when they came home from a business trip.

More women carried pictures of their children; fewer carried photos of their spouses.

Women carried more photos of their pets than men.

Here are some tips devised by the Sheraton group for business travellers:

1. Make business trips a lesson in geography by putting up a map of the world and getting children to mark the city or country you are visiting.

2. Study the destination on the Internet or at the local library.

3. Always leave contact information including, if possible, a fax number where you are staying. There is nothing like a fax message from a son or daughter that says, "I love you. Have a good meeting."

4. Send postcards from the destination.

5. Share with the family photographs from your travels.

6. Have the kids create a scrapbook showing "Where in the World is mum/dad?"

7. Bring a family photograph. Many stores now offer a "talking picture frame" so a message from a loved one can be taken and listened to on a trip.

8. Phone home regularly or have the family call you at a designated time to share day-to-day experiences.