Fighting homesickness

Sorry on cell phone n sometimes its not so smart

 

Yes anther thing i did to help my kids was i found a placemat of the U.SA. and went to my trunk with some of my old toys and got out a micro machine truck! if anybody remember's those.
When i called my wife i would tell them where i was and where i was going. she would put the little toy truck on the map and help my kids move it to the state where i was going.
In return they learn there states and capitals.and have fun doing it.But this is stuff i figured out and was fun for me and my family!!! to each there own

 

It is important to have a stable social group of family and friends. Make plans for your trips back to the home for some quality family and fun. Driving OTR is much more than a job and being safe. Thinking about home too much can cause loneliness and maybe depression. If your still unable to adjust to being away 21 days after 6 months then this might not be the career you are intended for.

 

Maybe another perspective on things.......

I am currently serving in the USAF(been in 10 ten yrs). I have been to the middle east more times than i have ever wanted too!
Right now, as i type, i am deployed(some may see this as a joke in a second, but thats what the powers that be are calling this, a deployment) to Andersen AFB, GUAM. I am running shipments from the ports, to the base. This place is only 3 miles wide, 40-50 miles long...something like that...i can drive around the island in about 1 1/2 hrs.

Anyways, my wife and 3yr old boy are back at home(my home station) in MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA! I call them almost everyday, facebook/skype almost all hours of the day when i can. This is a 6 month deployment, yes, its on a tropical island, but its still time away from my family nonetheless. I have also been deployed for up to 18 months in IRAQ, where i could only email every other day or so, could only call when their was a phone that we could call from!
So being away from my family for long periods of time doesnt bother us, we have overcome and adapted living this military lifestyle. Along the same lifestyle as truck drivers. In my eyes, i think drivers in the US have it better than i do here in guam, but tomato, tomato! You just have to see what works best! And the idea of hanging up the us map and putting the stars on the maps of where daddy is......is an awesome idea to say the least!! I will be out of the service one day....that next day.....ill be on the road to becoming a full time truck driver....not because i dont like seeing my family, but because i love the open road(even the traffic jams,tight schedules,crappy shippers/receivers, even though im gonna continue doing flatbed....i wouldnt have it any other way! Do what works for you AND your family, homesickness will never go away completely, its what you do to lessen your homesickness feeling! Pictures/video/postcards/emails/skype/actual letters in the mail, can only bridge the time till you actually get home and squeeze the ones you love!!
Drive safe and happy motoring.

 

If you have kids in elementary school, why not adopt their whole class. Then you could have 20-25 kids seeing and wondering where you are. You could be their very own geography teacher. Think how cool that would be, course it would be you fault if they all grew up to be truck drivers.
You could even bring the truck by the school one day for "show and tell".

 

if you get homesick just think about our troops stationed all around the world, not just in iraq and afghanastan.

 

Lots of Drivers I talked to so far have been in the military. Wonder why the good one's can do this and keep up the family? This is a dangerous job but not what our soldiers/marines/sailors/airmen are currently doing.
I felt the homesickness when I was in the military. But, now I don't feel as bad because I meet people on the road that make me laugh and smile.
Don't be afraid to talk at the driver sitting next to you.. or at the waitress that just called you 'Honey'.
I have been lucky/blessed that I have nothing but good responses by talking to others at truck stops, shippers, and receivers. Keep the CB off (I keep mine on, but don't listen to the BS), help other drivers when you can.. stay safe

-BTW I am proudly a newbie and loving life!