A Monthly Column written by Kelly Livingstone, founder of atruckerswife.com, and
published in Truck News Magazine. Do NOT copy without permission.
August 2005
Dear Kelly,
This is my first summer with my husband on the road. With the kids out of school
and Daddy on the road for most of it, I am looking for ideas that I can do with
the kids. My kids are only six and eight, so they depend on me for things to do. Mommy of two
Dear Mommy of two,
We made a list of things that we can do this summer and posted it on my fridge.
Sit down with your kids and make the list together, you would be amazed at some
of the things they can come up with!
Visit your local library and take out some books. They may have organized
reading activities as well. We also have on our list, the Zoo, the beach, the
parks, bike riding, the community wading pool. If you have an ice cream stand
close enough, go for a walk there one day for a treat.
Have a backyard picnic, maybe even invite over a couple of the kids friends.
On a Saturday morning, grab a wagon and a few bucks, and head out through the
neighborhood to garage sales. You would be amazed at the treasures you can find.
For indoor activities, coloring, crafts, living room camp out and picnics. Look
for some craft books on your trip to the library and get some ideas from there,
maybe make it a recycle theme and make things from egg cartons and toilet paper
rolls. If you have access to an online computer, you can find many sites with
craft ideas and activities to do with your kids.
Does your local hardware store have building lessons for the children? Maybe the
craft store offers lessons? Do you have a local museum? Don’t forget the special
treat of visiting a restaurant with a play land!
Ask you children for input and use your imagination. At that age, they are quite
content to just have fun doing things.
When your husband makes it home, be sure to include him in some of the fun. The
memories that your children will have of fun summers, will last a lifetime!
Kelly
Dear Kelly,
I am a new trucker’s wife, my husband just started driving again this month and
he brought this magazine home to me and I was so surprised to see this part made
for us! It is so nice to read that other folks have questions too.
What I am writing about is that I am getting a lot of slack from my family about
my husband being on the road and leaving me here. I am sure that they will see
in time that I am ok. This wasn’t something he did on the spur of the moment. I
knew that he drive truck before I met him, and he had said that it may be
something he went back to someday. The money is a lot better than the job he was
working at before, and we are saving for a house, since we don’t want to rent
forever. The other nice thing is that I can work all the overtime I want, and
not have to worry about rushing home to be with him. I guess two things, I am
looking for ideas on how to make my family understand that I am totally ok with
this decision. I did have a big part in the choices we made. The second thing is
the support. Even though logically this is a sound choice we have made,
emotionally, having no support from family, what can I do? Family woes
Dear Family woes,
I think that family and friends have a really hard time with our lifestyles.
They see you as abandoned in a sort of way. Invite them over for coffee or
desert, or even a full blown dinner while you husband is on the road. Let them
see first hand that you aren’t crumbling or falling apart. Do things as you
normally would. Talk to them individually when you see an opportunity, so that
they can ask you questions and you can reassure them that you are OK. The best
thing that I can say to prove tp them that you are alright, is live happy. Over
time they will see. I had some of the same issues when my husband first went out
on the road, but now my friends and family see that we fit into this lifestyle
and that it really does work for us.
For support, you can always visit our website A Truckers Wife, http://atruckerswife.com/.
There is a wonderful community of amazing women who will help you with just
about any question you could imagine.
Try chatting with the folks you work with, or find another trucker’s wife in
town that you can do coffee with.
Be happy, and they will see that you are!
Kelly
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