Getting back in the seat

Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

Yes, you're right, trucking gets in your blood. Plus it is a means of making a decent living.

As far as an easy cure of feeling guilty for being away from the family?...I never found one. But I feel I have to do what I have to do.

My kids are grown now, and have kids of their own. But when they were little, I took them with me. Then when they were in school, I got a job that got me home every other day. So I was still making a living, and got home often.
Then I didn't run long haul again, until they were in their late teens, and going out in the world on their own.

You can find something similar if you keep focused. Just keep searching for your nitch because it's out there. That's one of the benefits of being a truck driver...it's versatile.

Don't give up!
Good luck

 

You're in Ontario? There's lots of demand for truckers still in eastern Canada, especially in the Maritimes, but you will work very hard for the money you earn. I have a teenage son at home and a daughter who just moved out. We were on the road for about three months and I found I really missed being there for my son, even though he's not young.

If you have a strong wife with a life of her own and lots to keep her busy, you'll do fine. It'll be very tough the first few years and you'll miss a lot but, if it's what you have to do to earn a living, it's probably worth it.

It really depends a lot on your wife, though, as she has to be strong and put on a happy face for the kids 24/7 as she will be, in essence, a single mom for a LOT of the time now. If she can do that and stay happy and strong for the kids and you and herself, you'll be okay.

After you get a few years' experience, you can probably find a more local job where you're home at least weekends if not every night but you usually have to put in a few years OTR first, which is going to be very hard for you.

I'd never recommend anyone with really young kids (such as you have) going OTR but if you have no other way to earn a good living, you do what you have to do. After all, navy men are gone for MONTHS at a time.

You can call every day, you can use a cam on a laptop to talk and see your kid(s) every night if you want to and generally keep in touch. Modern technology sure helps a lot in this case.

After all, if your wife can handle it, you can handle it and you're making a decent living, it'll be a LOT less stressful than stuck in a job you hate not earning enough money to pay the bills and angry all the time.

It's a tough life but it can be done and I'm sure you'll do fine if you set out knowing how hard it is going to be and prepared for it AND with the full backing of your other half.

My neighbor has two young kids BUT is an O/O and is home every weekend. He does just fine but is home a lot more than you probably will be.

Best of luck to you!!!