Balancing Personal Life

Good afternoon, My name is Tyrone Rodriguez, and I'm a newbie with this type of industry and was considering changing careers. Although ive seen this type of lifestyle in movies, shows and real life. My question is is how do one deal with this type of lifestyle with peersonal life (marriage, kids, etc) because i currently work in a manufacturing environment (5 years) were my scedule is fixed: monday through friday and sometimes overtime on saturdays ?

Skype. Phones, Local gig. OTR there really is no manual. People react differently. May be great one day and the next it isn't. Talk to your spouse, it's not only up to you. It's a choice you need to make together.

Tyrone, you show insight and wisdom by asking such a question. Indeed, this career is, and probably always will be, hard on families and marriages. Each of us has to deal with it the best way we can. If you have young children, I don't recommend it, although there are many who manage to do it. My children were grown when I started this career, and I had developed a strong foundation for my marriage. I talk to my wife every day on the phone, but there are things that happen at home where she needs me there, and she has to deal with stuff that she doesn't want to, and to be honest with you, shouldn't have to.

I've heard it said, "Reality Bites". Well, there is no truer statement than that when it comes to being away from those you hold dear. I really love this career, but it has it's down sides to it, and you have just hit on one of the most unfortunate parts of this career. My wife and I made a decision together on this career, and I would recommend that any husband and/or father involve his family in this decision making process.

I have a wife and 2 beautiful daughters age 6 and 7. Its hard but being in a dead end manufacturing job with my pay maxed out at $12.60 an hour ( after the 10% pay cut we all took ), I just did what I had to do to support my family. Yea right now it sucks but lucky for me I got a normally Mon-Fri gig right out of CDL school where I at least get to be home on the weekends with them. Its not easy and it never will be.

Agreed with all the others.

You need a very strong and independent woman and an unbreakable bond with your wife/family.

All of the duties that you did at home she will have to do. So she's even more busier because you're gone. There are times when she really needs you and you can't be there. Those are the worst! There really is no balance. You're home for a couple days every month and then you're gone for a long time again.

This is how I attempt to balance my work and my personal life.

I don't stay out for 2 months at a time. I stay out for a month and go home for 4 days. During those 4 days my goal is to rest and give my wife 4 days of the best I can do. In other words, I make it worth it for her to have to wait for me so such a long time. I take her places and always do some serious cleaning to help her catch up. That's just about the best you can do.

You're not home much, but when you are - make it count!

Thank you guys for your honest opinion, however there is a flipside to this..... i'm not married but im currently in a serious relationship; plus, me and the mother of my child are not together. On top of that, the income that I receive after taxes is not "cutting all of the grass" if you get my drift. Basically.....i'm barely getting by, eventhough i'm middle-class; but child support is no joke.

Furthermore, I understand that in general.....every job has its downsides, regardless of how much money your making. I just need a stable income to support myself a little more, while at the same time, being there with as well as for my daughter.

Tyrone here is the bad news. In trucking you can make a damn good wage and support your family but not be around all the time or be around all the time and not make a good wage.

There are other options but you need experience first. If you are in a serious relationship and have a young kid also then I might be willing to tell you get stay home and get two jobs and be home more. Seriously if your wanting to get into trucking just for better money then you can do that but your personal life will suffer quite a bit. Trucking is not bad the money. It's about the lifestyle. Sure you can make damn good money and the top earners in trucking stay out 4 to 6 weeks on the road and come home 4 to 6 days and then they are gone again for another 4 to 6 weeks or longer.

There are jobs that will get you home weekly and pay a good wage but you need experience for those jobs.