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?