Traveling for work and anxious

[mommyinflorida]

Hi everyone,
I have a 2 year old DD. This week, I have to travel out of state for work and I'm extremely anxious. I did once before (grudgingly) in February, but she was only about 18 months old then and didn't realize it as much as she will now. She goes to school now, but is used to having me pick her up. She only lets me put her to bed, and so on. She'll be with my parents, whom she loves, but still...

My DH commutes every week and is away on business 3 nights a week, so lately, she has become very, very, very attached to me and I'm scared that it will be hard for her.

Add to this the fact that I'm petrified of flying and I really don't want to go.

It's only for 2 nights/3 days, I know, but even 1 night away is a lot. Am I being totally unreasonably? My boss doesn't have kids and I truly believe she doesn't understand what it's like to travel when you have a little one. She also doesn't care in the least. She wanted me to travel for a week at the beginning of October in addition to this coming week, but luckily, I changed that conversation... I found the request completely unacceptable... 2 weeks away from your 2 year old? What??

I haven't been direct with her, so I'm guilty in this, too. I tend to beat around the bush with this travel conversation, so last October (2010), when she first asked me to go, I said I can't, my husband is still commuting, the baby is only 15 months old (at the time) etc etc and I feel that she essentially threatened my job by saying, "Well, if your husband is going to continue traveling then maybe we need to identify a local position for you..." knowing full well that there isn't such a thing. Was she allowed to say that? I don't know.

Have any of you been in this situation (I'm sure many of you travel for work), how have you handled it?

Thanks!