My wife travels 2-3 days a week. With 4 kids at home, that can be overwhelming, but over time I have gotten used to it and learned how to manage without her. The hardest time for me is tubby time. I put #2 and #3 together in the tub while #1 watches #4. That isn't too bad because #1 is pretty responsible, even at only 7. BUT, when I put #1 and #4 in the tub, #2 and #3 run roughshot over the place. I can guarantee something will be broken or a mess when I'm done with #1 and #4!

Al 14th Annual At Home Dad Convention www.athomedadconvention.com

I'm exhausted just from reading your post Al.

I've always said that I've been lucky that my wife doesn't travel.   Married to a wife who is sometimes gone for as long as 5 days in a row has to be tough.

For me the hardest part about my wife being gone is juggling the schedules of the kids. I've got two boys in hockey and my daughter does gymnastics and takes riding lessons so sometimes I have to decide who I'm dropping off and who I'm going to stay and watch. Inevitably, someone winds up pissed that i didn't watch them, but for the most part, the older two are sort of over it. The other negative is the doubt that seems to creep in when she's at big corporate get togethers. She's there with all these young, successful guys drinking and co-miserating 'til the wee hours of the morning about things I simply can't relate to. And when you think about it, --and if you're the paranoid type, you might wanna skip this next part--if she decides to run off with one of these yahoos, I'm hosed. I've been at this for 7 years now. The economy sucks and nobody wants some 40 something married with children guy who knows that what they're offering for money is crap. If a judge looks at her situation vs mine, I'll be lucky to see my kids once a month. Not to be a total downer here, but there was a time I thought this was already happening and I was freaking out. I know now that I was TOTALLY  over-reacting, but it was not a happy time to be me.  So, now whenever there's a trip on the horizon, I do a little self-evaluation of how good a husband I've been just to make sure I'm not opening myself up to attack when I'm not there to defend my own virtues. (Both of them.)

This job hits you with stuff you never see coming and sometimes it's all you can do to maintain your sanity even when things are running smoothly. But that aside, often times the worst things I've had to face were my own fears, brought on by a lifetime of insecurities. But when I stop and think about it, I'm incredibly lucky to have this opportunity. Even with the headaches of business trips and everything else that comes with the territory, I wouldn't trade this job for anything else.  And whenever I start to make myself a little crazy, I just remind myself that I know more men who wish they could do this than I do men who are doing it that wish they weren't. Put into perspective, my petty insecurities seem like just that.

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. -- Albert Einstein