Well my thoughts are with you! I know he is doing his best for you guys, but kids have a really hard time understanding that...
Would sugest the text thing, though...when your hubby stops for the night, get him to send a message to your son...
Goodmorning! Daddy is in Florida! Can you see me on the map? I love you and I miss you all the time! Take care of mommy for me...

Or something like that...then when you wake him up in the morning you have a message from daddy for him...

My husband also gave the kids CB handles which they get a kick out of...so all their messages refer to them as their handles...

I will keep thinkin for some other ideas...

Hang in there!

My 7 year old daughter is the same way still. More good days than bad. You would be surprised at how much the dollar tree helps them. Have daddy write a little note to him stick 5 bucks in it telling him to have mommy take him to the dollar store to buy himself what ever he wants. And mail it from what ever truck stop he's at at the time. I know it's hard restricting what junk they want but refrain and truely let him pick out whatever he wants. We did that a couple times and things are getting better w/ her. Have your hubby write about some of his adventures on the road in the letter. The key is to keep him updated and involved! Another thing I did was get a cheap map of the US and put it on a cork board/bulletin board. And everytime he talks to daddy have him find out where he is and put a push pin on that location. Keeps him thinking he is in the know of exactly where daddy is compared to where home is. Leave the pins there and clear them out every week we clear them off on Sunday mornings and start over for the week. Even my 10 yr old daughter likes that one. Just a couple ideas. Keep him busy it is baseball season that's always a good thing. If you can't afford it check out your local rec league and ask about scholarships they all should offer them. Let me know how it goes.

Wow i really like the map Idea. I really think my son would really enjoy that. Helps to keep him in the loop and its educational. I try to keep him active but it's so hard with the other two. I dont think it would be near as bad if the two year old didnt have lead poisioning, its just so crazy it really limits what we can do. I have actually been thinking about putting him in a daycare a few days a week just to get him out and doing things. Sometimes i feel really bad for him because he does not get out much because I cant take his brother anywhere. I just dont want him to feel like I'm getting rid of him if you know what i mean. Its all alot of change and adjustment for everyone. Thank heavens theres nice people like you and the others on here to come to for advise or just to get things off your chest. I think this is the most adult comunication i get in a day. Thanks!

This is really a great idea! We have a big laminated map up on the wall. We use a marker to draw out his route, then we have stickers to mark where he stops (then in the morning when kids get their message as to where Daddy is they put the sticker on) Then when he delivers we wipe it off and start again!

We used to use a wooden puzzel map! LOL remember we are in Canada, so its been a great learning tool for the kids to learn all the states, capitals etc. Know more than anyone at school!

Then we have bigger stickers for important places like Grandma in WI, Aunts in NC, Where we got married in NY, where my daughter's friend lives in KS....

If kids are in school too, it's neat for them to be able to brag a little. look what daddy brought me from this state or that state. rocks are a great little thing that the men can pick up here or there but just be sure and bag them so later on oyu know what state they came from.

doing the post card bit helps too, but i suggest you buy your hubby's some stamps cause they are kind of hard to find out on the road. We don't have kids just dogs. but being out there for 18 years we dealt with this with the cousins and such.

We have a map a cheap non trucker map and we highlited all the roads we were on. im sure the kids would love something like this on show and tell day, see all the roads
my dad has been on.

also try when you go to the store letting them pick out something fun for daddy to eat, anything that you can do that will get them in on this will help them feel like they are close to him. Have them wash his clothes or get some favorite TV show taped for dad to watch when he comes home.

There is so many little things you can do that will help them feel close.

OKay this one is for you gals that travel and can't stay awake.

Lap tops are great and you can get wifi or pay for the internet. Also if you are determined. you can do the following with some practice. i've done all of these below and though i poked myslef a few times i did get good at it.

Needle work,
Sewing,
Beads i made several pairs of nice ear rings though this one is tricky,
Writing or typing on the lap top
Reading of course, thouh i never could read or do much in the sleeper if i was up
front i was fine.
Learn how to read the map, and find the next place you'll be stopping to eat or find some fun thing you can do along the way.

When we was out west there was always some little ghost town to go to, Steins, AZ i think was fun. We went to dodge city, there is a great place up in Wyoming the name escapes me right now, but we dropped our trailer at the truck stop and went to it.

Lots of things have truck parking and keeping a map of all the great places you find to eat at that has truck parking is great.

Midland Texas at Kdees BBQ is one i my favorites but they are not open on monday or Sunday.

Hope this helps.

I'm still kinda new myself, but I'm learnin'. My husband stays out between 4-8 weeks at a time and then comes home for 3-5 days. The biggest piece of advice I have is to always make him feel like you still need him and that his house is still his house. I made the mistake of just taking over things with our household and our teenaged son and sorta blowing off the husbands wishes and opinions. Which made him feel unwanted and not needed. We had a huge fight about it because he was being such a butthead but wouldn't tell me exactly what was wrong. During the heat of the arguement it all came out in the wash. I felt so terrible. I thought I was doing what he wanted me to be doing and I pretty much was. It was just a hard pill for him to swollow, that I could take care things all by myself, I guess. So, now when he comes home, I try my best to let him make decisons about things and feel important. It sometimes drives me crazy, but I just bite my lip and let him have at it. Usually if it is something I can't live with, I just wait until he leaves and get things back to the way I like them or like them done. Ha, ha, that coffee pot hasn't been moved around so much as long as we have had it. I do still cry every single time he leaves me. Never in front of him, but always cry! Wonder will this ever stop.

I have been a truckers wife along time since 96' and there were alot of fights mostly because we were young 25 and 26 and jealous and lonely. But we managed. You have to beleive in your husband and yourself to know that it will get easier over time. my girls were just 1 and 5 and it was so hard, but it got easier. I learned to be more independant and rely on myself. I did have friends and a job but I knew what it was like before because my father was a otr trucker 48 states and as a girl I don't remember seeing my father that much back then...
Now we've been in the business for 15 years and it has provided a good living for our family. Now he runs a dedicated run and he has earned it. I see him everyday and you know can't imagine trucking not being a part of my life. Yes it is still hard but no arguing just content , stopped arguing along time ago. didn't want our time to be spent mad at each other.
But this life was in my blood before I even knew it..Even my hubbies parents are team drivers, go figure.
but not much to prepare yourself for just keep each other up to date on everything.

I love this place. There are alot of ladies like me here.

I have also been a truckers wife since 1996. When we 1st got married he was driving local. Then he took on a job that was real crazy. Great pay, but crazy. He would leave at around 8 p.m. Go to a warehouse, sleep for a couple of hours, unload, grab another trailer and make deliveries at Aldi stores. Back home around 3 in the afternoon, a couple more hours sleep and then back at it. Left there and went to a place driving kinda local (if thats what you call it) Up at 5 am..back home around 9 p.m. I worked from 4a to 1p so I was in bed when he got home. He has since gotten laid off, as have I, and we are suddenly stuck together every day! I think I am going to go insane!! We fight more then we ever have! I used to go with him when I could get a day off. He was such a focused driver, I remember asking him to stop to go potty! He actually told me NO!! I said I think you best pull this damn truck over or there is going to be a problem! We now look back and laugh about it, but it wasnt funny at the time. The only advise I can give is to be ready for anything that could go wrong around the house to go wrong when he is gone. You will have to be in charge! Some things I have had happen....2 trees feel on the house in the middle of a bad storm. I was home alone. Electric went out and water was flowing into the sump pump hole in the basement...had to call for the brother in law to come with generator and then pumped about 2" of water out of the basement....and thats only the beginning...you will find you will become very independent...but there is nothing you cant weather if you truly love each other. I love my hubby with all my heart and he has always been a wonderful provider...This lay off stuff is really a trial for both of us..I always see him looking at trucks when we are out and about..and I feel sorry for him..he is almost 60..and living in Michigan right now is not a good thing. I dont want to him go out on the road..he may have to soon..but right now we are surviving...Have faith..and everything will work out great! And go along whenever you can..all I can say is what an "eye opener!"

My husband is very eager to get started driving his own truck. The company he has been hired on with is great and is teaching him well. He takes his state CDL test tomorrow and we hope he passes. It will be so nice to have the 2nd income. He has been laid off since January. We fight about money mostly but that is probably a given. The stress of all this is really starting to take its toll. Just pray that he passes.

My dh just started driving this year, and stays out a long time imho, especially since this is the first time since we have been married that we have been apart for this amount of time.

He went to driving school in Texas, then went with a trainer then has been gone a lot.

And so far I really don't like it, but maybe it'll get better eventually. At least he does have a job, and there are a lot of people who don't have jobs these days. So I am glad he has a job, hopefully one of these days he'll have a job where he is home more though.