How do you handle DH being away with kids?

[Darlin65]

DH just started a new job. He is so busy and will be even busier switching to 4 longer days a week. He's getting sort of bummed because there will be days he won't get to see DS at all but instead he will be home 3 full days vs. 2 full days. Even if he worked 5 days he still wouldn't be home much because of school. I'm trying to reassure him that it will be ok. I told him we could always come meet him for lunch once a week and then we will have all weekend long. Any other tips? I'd say we would get up with him and have breakfast but he is out of the house by 6am. A bit too early to get up DS.

 

[wish4baby]

Well, maybe on a day he has off he could have something that's just his & DS'...like a Gymboree class or daddy/son swim or music class, followed by lunch out (kind of like a weekly date!). Then you could get in some alone time (or baby time in a few months) and he could have time DS. Also, would he be home in time for tuck in? Even just a few minutes? If not, he could always just lay with DS for a bit while he's sleeping, on those days where he won't see DS at all.

 

[PugLuvAh]

My DH commutes into the city every day for work and leaves early and sometimes doesn't get home till 645 or 7pm at night. Now that my son is a bit older, he can see dad for 15 or 20 minutes before bed, but up until he was 15 months or so he went to bed at 6pm. Sometimes he didn't see his dad for days on end. It was hard--hard on my son, hard on DH and hard on me, but what could we do?

We make the most of our weekends or our days off together and when DH is home he tends to take over alot of the parenting role to make up for the time he's gone. I also send lots of pictures/videos of what's going on at home so hubby doesn't feel liike he's missing out on so much.

 

[x__amour]

To be honest, it is really, really hard sometimes. DH works at Toyota and has a crazy, crazy schedule.

For example this week is:

Sunday: Off
Monday: 9am-6pm
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 12pm-8pm
Thursday: 8am-8pm
Friday: 8am-8pm
Saturday: 8am-8pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

But more often than not, DH will be with a customer and cannot leave until they're completely done regardless of if the dealership is closed or not. On Wednesday he didn't get home until 10:30pm... DD doesn't wake up until 8am and goes to sleep at 8pm so there will often be days where she doesn't see her daddy at all...

We try and make the best of it. We try and do lunch, I keep him updated with pictures/videos, FaceTime, etc. We make every minute of his days off or if he gets off early/on time count as our time together is so limited.

It's hard but it's what we have to do for now.

 

[fdcsw126]

With us its different OH is in the military and he is scheduled to go to the other side of the country for a school for 6 weeks when our lo will be about 3 months, then anywhere from 2-4 months after he gets back from the school he will be deployed for up to 7 months. Our entire relationship was long distance until we got married but we plan on using the same modes of keeping in touch as when we were dating....pictures, facetime, phone calls, videos and when he deployed care packages. This way he is still witnessing his daughter grow and being a part of her life, otherwise his work schedule is 6am-6pm or later at least 5 days a week (sometimes they work the weekends as well) so its all about spending the time together when he is off.

 

[Leids]

My DH works pretty crazy hours. He actually hasn't seen our LO since Sunday because he's been working 14-15 hour days this week. It's not all that unusual, sadly. I feel like our relationship is mostly long distance because the only time I see him is on weekends; our week day communication is limited to talking online.

On weekends he just spends a lot of extra time with him. I'll sneak off to go do my own thing and he'll just relax with LO and they'll play without mommy interference. On rare days where he's actually home before LO goes to bed he'll take care of him and do all of his bed time stuff, read him books, etc.

 

[AC1987]

My DD only sees DH for about 1-2 hours a day before and after work monday - friday.

It is hard... because some nights she doesn't get to see him before she hasta go to bed.

I usually am pretty nuts by weekend like I'm DYING to get out of the house.

 

[bettybee1]

My husband in the army so he's gone Monday -fri most weeks sometimes more !

I am
Working as an rn and also student mw at uni full time and have a 2 year old I guess you get on with I rarely complain expect when am extremely tired!

I do get very mad when friends say there tired or have a hard time when most of them don't work or work part time !!! X

 

[bettybee1]

My DD only sees DH for about 1-2 hours a day before and after work monday - friday.

It is hard... because some nights she doesn't get to see him before she hasta go to bed.

I usually am pretty nuts by weekend like I'm DYING to get out of the house.

Can't you go out in the week ? :/ x

 

[ericacaca]

Its the other way round with me. I'm a teacher and leave the house by 7.30am - Oz wakes up at around that time and I get home most evenings at 7pm ish. Sounds like I work for ages - but that's only cus I work an hour away! Urgh!

Oz used to go to bed at 8pm so we could spend time together - but he's getting to bed earlier now.

So all I can do is try to get home from work earlier, the nights when I don't have rehearsals I bring my marking home with me to do when he is in bed. I get to give him a kiss before I go to work every morning and we make the very best of the weekends.

Plus.... our childminder doesn't look after him during holiday time so we get time together during holiday time which is LOVELY!

xxx

 

[AC1987]

My DD only sees DH for about 1-2 hours a day before and after work monday - friday.

It is hard... because some nights she doesn't get to see him before she hasta go to bed.

I usually am pretty nuts by weekend like I'm DYING to get out of the house.

Can't you go out in the week ? :/ x

Just for a walk around the block or something.. I don't have my license yet. and there are no stores near us.. everything requires having a car.

 

[bettybee1]

Oh that's rubbish for you hunnie !!

Hope you can get a car licence soon !! X

 

[Darlin65]

My DD only sees DH for about 1-2 hours a day before and after work monday - friday.

It is hard... because some nights she doesn't get to see him before she hasta go to bed.

I usually am pretty nuts by weekend like I'm DYING to get out of the house.

Can't you go out in the week ? :/ x

Just for a walk around the block or something.. I don't have my license yet. and there are no stores near us.. everything requires having a car.

I understand how you feel. I have a license and a car but we try not to go anywhere so I don't spend extra money on gas when I go out. We don't live withing walking distance of anything either

 

[Tulip]

My dh works unpredictable hours and is often away for a week at a time. He's not seen DS1 since Sunday night, DS and I are away this weekend and hubby won't be home til 8th March. We're flying out to spend next weekend with him.

Generally speaking, DS behaves better when daddy is away - he's overly permissive because of the guilt he feels about not being around - so our routine works well.

We co-sleep, so when he's home he gets the cuddles that he's missed through the night. And we always try to do something nice at the weekends, even though DS would happily watch his ipad all day