I travel. Lots. I will travel more in 2009 than I have in my life to date. And yet, I have to maintain a relationship with my wife, my daughter, and my son. It requires every bit as much planning as it would for your business meetings. Here’s what I do for re-entry.

Make it Clean

Dad showing up from a long trip and still on the phone isn’t a very nice first sight. Be there and be open and ready to make a personal human connection. Don’t have the trip still in your head when you’re hugging and kissing and saying hello. (Confession: I blew this yesterday. I had a conference call scheduled for 20 minutes after my family picked me up, so I felt bad about that).

Go Big

If you’ve been away for a while, maybe take the family out to eat, or make them their favorite meal. Of course you’re tired. Yes, you need to do that expense report and type in all the business cards, and the like. But that’s got to come next. They’ve already given you some days away. Connect back up with them in a nice way. Make it as memorable that you’ve returned as it was a drag that you had to leave. Not every time, mind you, but enough that it’s not a distant memory.

Go Deep

My little boy likes skin-on-skin connectivity. He wants to feel his Daddy up close. My daughter likes to rough house and play hard because that’s what she and I do together that she can’t do with Mommy. I give each of them individual attention, and that means making sure I blend it in well. Go deep in what you give your family. Give them what they want, not what you think is a nice way to reconnect. Be personalized and personable. You’d do it for a client.

Notice the Good Things

If ever this post were a note for myself, it’d be in this column. I get home and I tend to bicker about little things being wrong. I’ll find stuff strewn about, or I’ll complain about an errant piece of laundry not in the hamper. What would be better would be to leave all those details for another time. One time, out of the several trips I take, I’ll get this one right.

What I’d rather do is notice the good things: point out that I’m so happy to see my wife, that I’m glad to be home, and that it’s great to be back in my own bed.

What about you? What other tips or ideas do you have for re-entry? Do you have any rituals?