parenting tips for truckers and truckers wives

by mandy covert
(evansville indiana)

I love and appreciate your honest views on parenting. I myself am a stay at home mom to three boys and of course hubby is on the road. Something you can add to your page is ideas on how to be there for your kids without "being" there. Like phone calls, dropping notes in the mail to the kids, etc!

The parent left at home should do their part in helping the kids understand dads job. they should sit and talk about where dad is at by showing them a map, they should understand what a log book is and how it is used. the more knowledge you arm your child with the more they feel involved. Once a week i let my kids help dad plan a trip. they start with their pre trip inspection (in theory , they and 4,3, and 2 yr.s old. a little young to thump tires lol) and they with help decide what route dad will take and when he has to pull over for his ten hour break. this helps a lot with confidence and as they get older helps them see how far he goes and why sometimes he can't be home in a blink of an eye! hope these ideas help!

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Jun 13, 2011
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Beginner Trucker wife
by: Alicia

My husband and I have been together for five years, and he's always held a job that takes him away from home (Military, Oil field, Tower climber, and now trucker). We have two children together they are 3 and 1. It used to be that I would tell my oldest that daddy would be right back and that would be the routine every day until he returned. Now that he's older, he is having trouble letting him leave. I've also noticed that I am beginning to have issues with this as well. I go through an adjustment phase where first I'm understanding, Then he leaves and I get depressed, that turns into anger, and then self pity. So you can understand how difficult it is trying to reassure my son while I've got this battle raging inside me as well. How do you deal with it, How can I just snap right back into single parenting and move on. I need some advice if anyone can offer some...

Jan 20, 2010
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mapping dad's location trucking across the USA
by: EricsWife

I do this for myself and my kids throughout the day, every day. I love that they ask every night at dinner where Eric is and where he is headed. We look it up on MapQuest (my favorite, too). and find out where he is.

A running joke at our house is, well, me. I am the self-proclaimed Queen of the Giant Balls of Twine.

On road trips, I love to stop at every tourist trap between point A and point B. The kids hate it. As part of our mapping Eric's location, the kids have started looking up surrounding "Balls of Twine" for me.

What started out as a joke has turned into a great learning experience for the kids. This nightly activity educates the kids and me and brings us all closer to our Driver.

Jun 25, 2009
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Another idea ;) trucker wives can use at home
by: Jennifer Schnittker

Mandy,

Great idea's, another is that since there is a computer, pull up a map (map quest is one of my favorite tools) show them where you are, and where Daddy is.

Hey I am a 40 year old woman, and I do it for me as well.

I have only 2 children left at home. They talk to Keith at least 1 time a day, and when they ask where he is, I often do that.

Today we put together a Truckers Wall of sorts.

Pulling up a lot of trucker pictures- tags, backgrounds, poems, pictures ect.

We Printed these, then took some burlap, glued the pictures on the the burlap. We then hung it over "dads" computer. He does not know about this yet, but it has small pictures of the family, pictures of trucks, Truckers Poems, Tags on and on. We cannot wait to see his face when he does see this. This kind of gives them something to look forward too, and something for them to show off to him. It kind of keeps them involved as well. We entitled the wall "I love My Asphalt Cowboy!"

I really wish I could put a picture of this up. I am going to talk to Hervy about perhaps getting another section for wives. Where we can put craft ideas, recipes, things like that. I think it would be a lot of fun. I had talked to him about it once, but kinda let it go----

HMMMMMM so whatcha think My CrazyTrucker Friend ;)

Jen

Jan 06, 2009
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parenting and trucking
by: the crazy trucker

Hi Mandy,

Thanks, I think those tips you provided are very helpful. That's something, I said on the DVD to involve the family in the whole trucking experience I don't know if I mentioned it on the site.

Actually i think I did the other day. Anyway, I hadn't thought of some of the things you mentioned with the log book and helping plan the routing so that's great.

I really appreciate your suggestions, if they are followed I think it it go a long way to understanding and appreciating why the father is away instead of resenting that fact that he is not there.

Also another idea, give the young child a photo album and maybe send post cards from each state to put into it as another little connection to home and the trucking, it may actually serve as a geography project or something at school too.

Jennifer I think that's a great idea.
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