For Savannah Guthrie, Family Comes First

For Savannah Guthrie, an anchor, along with Hoda Kotb, of NBC’s “Today” show, traveling is part of the job.

This winter she traveled to Pyeongchang, South Korea, during the Olympics, where she got ski lessons from the two-time Olympian Gus Kenworthy. In May, she went to Windsor Castle for the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

She’s also the hands-on mother of two children: Vale, 4, and Charley, 1. Recently, she brought Vale on set to dance with Michelle Obama on International Day of the Girl. She also writes children’s books on the side. One of them, “Princesses Save the World,” written with the educator Allison Oppenheim, was released in September.

Guthrie doesn’t just want to have adventures alone; she tries to bring her husband, Michael Feldman, the managing director of a consulting firm, and their two children on trips as often as she can.

Following are edited excerpts from a conversation with Guthrie.

A: The main reason we take our kids is because we want to go and we don’t want to be apart from them. They’re still too little to truly enjoy the magic and adventure of travel, although Vale is getting there. We went to Wyoming this summer, and on the flight home she said she didn’t want to return to New York City because it was “boring” compared to our trip.

A: We took Vale to a friend’s wedding in Jamaica when she was 4 months old. I remember being so nervous about the travel, but little did I know traveling with an infant is as easy as traveling with children will ever get. I think she slept the whole flight.

A: Our default position is to take the kids. But the biggest factor is the length of the trip. They’re happier at home in their own beds, and there is no point in bringing them and then leaving them in the hotel room with a baby sitter. But by and large, we don’t travel unless we can bring the little ones.

A: We are pretty strict about screen time at home, but our basic policy for travel is “Pirate Rules” — which, loosely translated, means “anything goes.” We let Vale watch movies for a long time if it keeps her happy and under control. Same rule for snacks — we let them have treats they wouldn’t normally have if it keeps the peace. We are doing it for fellow passengers as much as ourselves.

A: I don’t like bringing the kids to a hotel where other adult guests might be annoyed.

A: We had a big adventure to Greece last summer, and I loved walking around the islands with Vale in her little Greek dress and an ice cream cone. She was so happy.

A: I took my daughter, then 2, and 6-week baby boy all the way to Arizona to surprise my mom for her 75th birthday. It was a night flight so I thought my daughter would crash. Nope. She was bouncing off the walls, running up and down the aisle, introducing herself to all the passengers until about 20 minutes before landing when she finally fell fast asleep and was none too happy when we had to wake her up to get off the plane.

A: I often fly all night on red-eyes for work trips just to limit my time apart from them. I had to leave them home for the Olympics in Korea this year. I wish they were with me because I missed them terribly for two weeks. But I can’t wait until they’re older and they can come with me.