Working away from home

[behnke21]

Just to throw it out there see how many of y'all work away from home. I work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. How you do it with familey and kids. I been doing it for a year in the gulf. How your family deals with it.

[Smithwr]

I work until the job ends and go home until the next one starts for the last 6 years. Longest stretch has been 9 weeks. I usually am home for 1 week max, I was out 5 weeks in jan/feb, went home for 2 days and came back this past Saturday.

It sucks and it's even worse now that I have a nearly 4 month old, I have been gone nearly half his life. My wife is a saint who went to college, was pregnant, now raising a infant and a 13 year old all the while working full time and keeping up with the finances and daily household stuff.

We have already decided that when Hunter is old enough for tee ball that I'm coming home for good, but I bet it happens before that.

[Muddy Bud]

I work 28 on and 24 Off, usually. Most of the time I have a few schools and meeting while I'm home so it's more like 35 on and 21 off. I work offshore overseas. Been working away from home for the past 17 yrs.

[Bowhuntin_Toona]

I work all over the country. Always try to find something close to home, but it doesn't always work out. While I'm working in Seattle, I make it home about every 6 weeks. Working in Wichita, I get home a lot more frequently. Depends on where I'm at as to how often I get home.

It was a lot tougher when the kids were younger. The trips home to see them were very much "us" time. The wife is a rock (most of the time) and that definitely helps. My kids are older (one in college and one is a senior in high school), so they don't "need" dad as much.

Once the youngest graduates, I expect Momma to spend a little more time on the road with me.

[rintin37]

that sucks

[Sleepy]

I did it for 7 years. 2-3 weeks gone and a day or 2 at the house, then off to work again. Finally made a position at the office and I work 8-5 mon-fri and get to be home with my family. I enjoyed the road, but I enjoy being home a lot more.

[Texaskid82]

20/10 here. It takes a strong lady at home. I am lucky to have one.

[BowOnly81]

I look at it like this. I've done field work and home every night, office and cubicle work and home every night, and now I'm gone for a week to 10 days at a time and home for a week at a time. We are so much happier now. Before, we both worked and was always too tired or stressed to do anything. Now when I come home, it's the best quality time with my family that I couldve imagined. Sucks being gone from my two lil ones but when I get home it's worth it. Wife quit work so we can do whatever we want, whenever we want.

[mjhaverkamp]

You gots to do what you gots to do, I don't think I could handle being gone very much, although for the first few years of starting our business it was just about as bad, lot of 16-18 hour days.

[behnke21]

Yea my kids are 1&3 they don't understand why I don't come home every night but can't beat haveing 2 weeks off to do what we want to.

[jefandaward]

Working even time is 6 months with the family every year, pretty good deal in my opinion

[BigCntry]

I move drilling rigs sometimes gone for months at a time longest stretch 31/2 months and it sucks . It's getting old

[fox1]

I spent the first 20 years of my marriage traveling, longest time away was 6 months over seas, you can do it but you have to be strong and so does your family. Love them hard and long when your home and keep your business in your pants when your gone.

[asmart214]

I've worked several rotations some overseas and off shore with 28/28 and 14/14 and been trough more ups and downs at home than at work. Secret is to make he and the kids miss you not wish you were back at work.
I sued a little book called THE LOVE DARE! 10yrs traveling and still going strong.
Happy Wife means a Happy Life.

[jsctx84]

Done it a bunch and just recently took a job close to home. A lot happier that way, money or not