Gift Ideas and Travel Tips from Dads

Oct 23rd, 2008 | By adamkeats | Category: Advice

One of the things I love the most about my job – the travel – also has a huge downside as a dad.  Whether it’s a day-trip that begins with waking up at 4:30 a.m. and then not getting home until after 9 p.m. or a multi-day trek across time zones, I miss those daily in-person debriefs on my daughter’s day over dinner.  I miss cooking dinner together as she’s now old enough to seriously help in the kitchen with stirring, scooping, and setting the table.

But on the flip side, it does give me a chance to bring her back all sorts of fun tchotchkes, whether it’s a t-shirt from the Great Wall of China or a model of the Statue of Liberty (both grossly over priced for sure) that lends a great deal of additional excitement to walking in the door.

If you’re a dad who travels, please tell the rest of us:

What’s your approach for bringing things back for the family when you travel for work?

Do you bring something back for every trip? Only when it’s overnight?  Only when you’re gone a certain number of days?  Only when you travel a great distance or to a new locale?

What do you seek out for your kids?  Do you put any cost parameters in place, especially in light of today’s economy?

Do you keep any extra “gifts” around the house just-in-case you forget?  A dress for her favorite doll or an action figure perhaps?

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  • Brian Holiman
    When I travel which is every 45-60 days, I bring something back every time. Reason, it brings my little one joy. She says it means I remember her!

    It does not matter what it is although I try for something meaningful each time. Thats not always possible due to time/transportation constraints but since I rarely have checked luggage, it must fit in my carry on. If the carry on is full, then it's always something small.

    My little one understands that and is just happy I remember her.

    On long trips, I try to take her and my wife. Not always possible but very nice when we can.
  • I travel a bit every month and only rarely bring stuff back. And then it's only when I get free conference swag. The boys love little notebooks and pens, and other goofy conference giveaways. I like Mocha Dad's note about overseas travel and relevant local culture stuff, though.

    I can't imagine bringing something back every time. We've already got too much stuff!
  • I travel all over for work. Since finding myself poking around in dire airport stores for anything that would do as a present many years ago, I now make a sensible assessment of to trip and opportunities for shooping, and tell the kids honestly if I'm going to be able to get presents.

    And the presents have to be appropriate. If I'm travelling to North America, the tweenie girls clothes and shoes are way better and cheaper than in the UK, so I stock up. In the Far East, electronics and anime spin offs are great for 'cool factor' with homework. Otherwise, if I see something that would suit just great, and it's not obtainable in the UK or cheaper than here, I'll get it.

    But the kids know to ask if it's a present trip or not. And they are comfortable with the reasons either way. They have way too much stuff, buying more won't do anything except make them think Dad is the guy who buys them stuff, rather than the guy who hates being away and wants to be home to DO stuff with them.
  • Mingus Rude
    Depending on the length of the trip the gifts varies. Most of the times I collect office supplies from the companies that I visit. As gifts to kids they are excellent as the kids loves to draw and work with pen and paper. Many of the notebooks, pens and other office gadgets you can get hold of are quite fancy compared to the stuff the kids get from school and day care so they are happy. I think it also sets the expectation at an acceptable level.
  • I bring gifts home when I travel overseas because these trips require me to be away a week or more. I try to find gifts that represent the local culture.
  • Thanks, Brendan. There's actually a great store in Chicago called Quake Collectibles (http://tinyurl.com/6e4aet) that sells all sorts of toys collected (mostly) in the 80s. Along with Smurfs, you'll find entire original Star Wars collections there, mine included.
  • My father traveled 3/5 days just about every week for 5 years of my childhood, and he used to bring things home from each trip. In fact, for a while he would bring home a themed smurf character from whatever city he had been in. While I didn't know that he grabbed them on his way to the gate at the airport until I was older, it was a collection that I loved and was excited to build upon each time my dad came home.

    Now that I am starting a role that will require more regular travel, I can't wait to hear what other dads are doing these days. I think I would be hard pressed to find smurfs anywhere anymore. :)
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