Friday, May 17, 2013

10 Tips for New Trucker Wives; Learn the Value of being Flexible

I am back from my small hiatus! The past couple weeks have been busy preventing me from taking the time I like to have for my blog. It started with a sickness overpowering our household (which will be a whole different post in the future) and then family priorities arose. Sorry its been so long since my last post, I hope people are still reading!! :) I am going to continue with the segment "10 Tips for New Trucker Wives"

As I said before there is not much information out there about "How to be a Trucker-wife" or how to make this life easier on yourself and your family. It took a while after my husband started OTR to get a handle on things and to be content with this decision. At the time I had wished there was somebody there to give me advice in the beginning, maybe it would not have taken me so long to accept this life and make the most of it!

So I decided to comprise a list of tips for new trucker-wives and how to handle the transition easier. This list can also be useful if your significant other has any job away from home...not just trucking. The last tip I posted was "Learn All About the Trucking Industry" this week I want to talk about how developing a flexible personality will help make your life easier and less chaotic.

Here goes....Tip #3


Learn the Value of being Flexible


While driving a truck anything can go wrong. He might get a flat tire on his way home preventing him from making it home on time. Once he gets home (this has happened to us) he may have to fix something on his truck taking time away from your time together.

Like I mentioned before, it is a low blow when you have had it in your mind all day that he was going to be home, and you have planned how that time will be spent, only to find out that it is not going to happen.
There are many ways you can improve your personal flexibility.

Learn to compromise. If you had plans to go out for dinner and a movie with your significant other, but now its 9pm and he's just pulling in....settle for a movie on Netflix and a frozen pizza instead. All that really matters is that you are spending quality time together!

Accept a little imperfection. If you have prepared an elaborate meal only to find out your trucker will be hours late...do not beat yourself up about it. He will not care if the meal needs re-heated. A great way to deal with this is to instead plan a crock-pot meal that takes little effort and can easily wait for his return!

Make back-up plans. It is hard waiting around and being excited for your husband's return. We make plans. We clean the house. We shave our legs. And then we sit around waiting for him to pull in. But sometimes at the last minute you get the phone call that its not going to happen. BUMMER. And all the plans you made just went down the drain. Well...when this happens always have a back-up plan. Do not let your newly washed and straightened hair go to waste! Meet up with an old friend you have not seen in a while, have some you-time at the mall and buy something for yourself, or go on a "mommy-date" with your kids. Do not just sit around and sulk. It will not solve anything and even if you do not believe it, your husband is just as bummed!

What are some ways you have changed your life to become more flexible while living this lifestyle! Let us know by leaving a comment!

I just wanted to add that it is very funny that I decided to write this blog post today. While in the middle of it I got the phone call from my hubby that he is stuck in Illinois. He did not like the way they loaded some pipes onto his truck and he called safety and they agreed but the place that loaded him would not change it. So they unloaded him and now he is waiting on a new load. This means he probably will not make it home this weekend. Awe geez, does anybody want to go to the mall?

6 comments:

  1. This happens all the time to truckers. I can't count how many times I was looking forward to him being here and then something happens and he can't make it. One day he was supposed to get into town around 3-4 pm for just the night. The next morning he would have to deliver. We were so excited. We planned for me to meet him where he was stopping, have dinner, and go to a movie. Then a few hours away I get the call. "I had a blowout". He waited on the side of the road for over 4 hours before someone could come repair it. He finally got into town around 9 pm, but he had to get up early so needed to get to bed by 10:30 (he was sleeping in his sleeper that night because he was a few hours from home). So I still went out to meet him. We went to Taco Bell for dinner, snuggled and talked for a few minutes, and then he went to bed and I left to go home. It wasn't much but the short visit still made us happy to have. BTW, where in IL is your hubby?

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    1. Sorry its taken me so long to reply I have had a lot going on recently! Thank you for reading! I love hearing from other trucker wives! I am not sure where at in IL my hubby was the other week, I'll have to ask him!

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  2. I'm not a trucker's wife, but I'm learning to be more flexible. I found your post and had to tell you that I love the picture of "If Plan A..." I just wrote a post about it on my blog: http://jendisjournal.com/2013/07/16/be-flexible/

    Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Ive just moved in with my trucker girlfriend and im glad i came across this post. I had no idea how challenging it could be.

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  4. My boyfriend has been a trucker for years, but for the past several years he's been local. He hadn't done OTR since before we got together. It's been a mutual financial decision for him to go back over the road. I plan to go with him when I can. As an independent contractor, my work is flexible depending on what medical contracts I have at the the time. But I know there will be times, for what ever reason I simply won't be able to go with him. Finding your post has given me some things to think about and ways to adjust.

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