how to help a homesick Daddy

The marine corp forced me to learn to live alone from my family. At least in trucking your in the same country. It will get easier

 

tell him that you found another man to service you while he is away so to be sure to call before he comes home. this will ease his mind that you are getting your needs met.

just kidding of course. be strong, don't complain about him being gone. it only makes it worse. talk every day. internet web cam skype ect makes things easier.

 

Well first, your husband is so lucky to have a caring wife who identifies the problem, and is seeking solutions.

I think the Skype thing is a good idea. Hopefully your husband may have a laptop and you could do Skype calls with you and the kids whenever it fits his schedule. I know I would like 2 or 3 Skype calls a week. Even more often if possible. Smartphones are a possibility with video calls.

If your husband knows you miss him terribly, then I do not think telling him over and over is helpful. If he doesn't know it, I would tell him once and drop it. And I think I would just share the good, unless the bad is something that he has to know right then.

When your husband comes home, make it a special time. If he just wants to stay at home with you and the kids, then respect that. However, if you see some extra time, maybe you and your husband can go visit extended family or with friends even if it is just for an hour or so. One of the drawbacks of OTR driving is that you lose social interaction with friends and extended family. When he is at home, try to keep things moving, try to keep things social. But only, if that's what he wants to do. If he prefers to stay at home, then maybe extended family or friends can drop by for an hour or so. And tell them that if you have to. Is it possible you could be at his terminal when he comes in? That would make me feel so proud. It may not be feasible if the terminal is too far, or if it is difficult to do with the two kids. Maybe a surprise at the terminal when he gets in? With the wife your husband has, I can tell you guys are going to be just fine.

 

And if that don't work kick him in the kanolies and say hey you taking me out tonight! Lol jk. You don't have to go out

 

Find what works best for him and stick to it. Sometimes the decisions are not so black and white or easy to make, we all do the best we can. The hard part for most seems to be the part you have down pat that is him knowing that you and the kids love him. For me hearing that once in a call home was all I needed. Talking to the little ones seemed to help me as well. To this day every time my ol Pete comes up the drive I see my three little ones jumping up and down on the porch screaming Daddies home. Only my oldest is now 20 has a truck of his own, my middle would be 18 and chomping at the bit to have his own, my girl is 16 and still happy to see me usually cause she needs money lol.

 

Well...have you tried any of the suggestions.....Hope you have, cause they'll all do him and you a great amount of good.

 

Part of the loneliness out there is not just missing your family, its not talking to anyone at all.

Encourage him to do normal things out on the road. Walk down the street and go see a movie (Not sitting in a TS with other truckers). Go to church. Anything that will help him feel like a human being will also help him manage being homesick.

Its really easy to drive from the west coast to the east coast, and only talk to one real person (the gal at the fuel desk at the TS).