Impact Of Trucking On The Family
The impact of trucking on the family can be devastating. I have talked to many truckers about their problems at home. I have heard many arguments on the phones at the truck stops.
This video covers some issues and how to address them.
Question: Can you raise good kids when one parent is gone OTR?
Answer: Yes. But even with both parents there, in today's time, it is challenging. So as a trucking family, the relationship should be strong and parents should work together with intent about raising the kids.
Make sure you protect, nurture your relationship even while gone and spend time with family when you get home. Give home 100% of you.
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Sometimes problems are about the kids, sometimes about the wives or husbands, often it's about bills. Sometimes all of the above.
Many home horror stories may not be because the a spouse is a truck driver.
If there far any type of problems already present in the marriage or relationship with children before trucking then you probably shouldn't become a truck driver.
Fix the problems first instead of using trucking to escape it.
Life as a trucker has little room for troubled relationships.
Just
as it takes a special type of person to drive a big truck, it takes a
special kind of family at home to deal with the situation.
There are so many things at play working against
the driver from the start. Think about it. The general public thinks
we pretty much have time and desire to entertain women all over the country (thanks
to a few bad examples and Hollywood). Some think that we never sleep and stay drugged up or drunk.
So at least a few of your spouse's friends will probably have that same set of thoughts about truckers. If your woman isn't the type of woman that stands up for what she knows and shut down the negativity that will likely come from the mouth of her so called friend, those negative thoughts can easily take hold in her own mind.
Also, if
your woman complains about every little thing about your relationship,
it opens the door to that negativity as feedback.
Some woman will start doubting the man's commitment. Then, some types of women instead of talking about it, will feel the way to deal with it is to get back at you by having an affair.
She loses her feelings, forgets about the future plans, gets all the money she can from the driver and lives a double life (sometimes times in the drivers home while he's paying all the expenses).
Or.....she becomes somewhat depressed because of her thoughts and communicate differently with you. You interpret this as something going on and your attitude changes. Now you are acting more like what she expected to happen which only makes her thoughts worse.
Well as you can see this can go on and on in the wrong direction for a long time and could easily result in disaster.
Sometimes though, this happens only when the man shows sign of cheating. Imagine that. Because she senses something wrong with his attitude or actions, she then talks about the relationship to friends. Might be nothing happening.
But.....sometimes, guys do indeed make a few poor choices sometimes even innocent at first. Get a number, make a few calls, and next thing you know, you are in touch weekly, daily and then visiting. Best to not go down that route..
Other times, there is every intention of extra curricular activity.
Some guys think that since it is miles away from home it (cheating, meeting, getting involved, etc)doesn't count, but it does count.
Some guys feel that what she can't prove won't matter.
Using the right head for a minute and you can easily see that it does matter because it will affect your behavior. But I digress, the point is that both people need to be serious about the relationship if you are going to be in a relationship, and you need to be in one with a quality person.
(The character, personality, compassion for people, attitude, etc. that is conducive to the trucking lifestyle.)
Those of you not familiar with drama in relationships may think I am exaggerating, trust me strange situations happens in this lifestyle maybe more often than you realize.
I have heard things like...
- The woman wiping out the bank account
- The woman getting married to Jody while the 'boyfriend' is away driving
- The woman eloping with her cheater sometimes taking the kids
- Jody answering the phone at home
- The driver needing emergency money only to find there is not available
- Driver coming home to divorce papers.
It goes on and on.
Ladies and Gentlemen your spouse is not DUMB.
Here is the best news. If you work on yourself and work on the relationship it will likely not only survive but thrive. Don't wait or expect the other person to do things perfectly or to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. YOU take the initiative to treat your spouse with love, affection and respect and you will avoid many problems in the relationship.
Tips for dealing with the impact of trucking on the family
Tips for Avoiding the Problems That Comes OTR Trucking
Impact On The Marriage
Impact On The Children
Hope Yes, There is hope. The impact of trucking on the family is not always a disaster. There are plenty of good big truck drivers who have driven a lifetime with wife and kids at home doing just fine. They have beautiful respectful families that can't wait to see them when they get home and think the world of them. They appreciate the job they do and they understand how much work it is.
For my ideas and tips to repair or avoid problems go here
Drivers tell us how you successfully juggle trucking and family life
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