Happy “Haul”-idays from us here at Good Dads! We hope you stay safe and warm during these frigid months.

The winter season can be a time of good cheer, but it can also, unfortunately, be a time of isolation and loneliness. Making time for family is important, whether you’re spending time with them in person or not.

Kyle Turner has been working for Prime since 2020, and he stressed the importance of spending time with family this holiday season. This week on the Prime Good Dads Blog, we spoke to the father of three about the reason for the season.

Celebrate together sometime this season

Even if you can’t be present with friends and family on the actual holiday, Kyle recommends still scheduling time to celebrate together. Kyle admitted it can be hard at times to make time for loved ones, but you have to do it in order to maintain that relationship. Kyle also has his wedding anniversary to look forward to this month, so this month is an eventful one for Kyle!

Family is everything, especially this time of year

“It’s everything,” Kyle said, when asked what family means to him. “It means riches. You could have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have family, you might as well be broke.”

While all of Kyle’s children are grown, he says he still finds time to reach out to them.

“When you get together with your kids, it’s a sigh of relief,” he continued. “When all of them are there, all are doing fine, it doesn’t matter if they’re fighting or bickering. To Mom and Dad, it’s music to our ears.”

Take the time to focus on your family and why they mean a lot to you.

“Kids are better than money,” Kyle said.

Communicate!

Long-time readers of the blog know that communication is key! Phone calls, video calls, texts, and postcards are all great forms of communication. The holidays are a great time to send festive greeting cards!

When you’re together with your family, take lots of pictures and videos (especially ones with the entire family).

Keep those lines of communication open.

Go home if you can

“Go home,” Kyle stressed. “Don’t worry about the bonuses. Don’t let the company dangle that carrot in front of you. Go home; spend time with the kids. If your mom is still alive, call her and get together with her too.”

Let your children know that you love them as often as you can, Kyle advised. Not only that, but ensure that you have some kind of support system as a truck driver. The holiday season can be full of cheer and good tidings, but it can also be filled with loneliness and isolation.

In Kyle’s experience, being at work during the holiday season can feel lonelier than other times of the year. “I’ve been over the road over the holidays,” he said. “You feel like you’re on an island in shark-infested waters.”

His advice: Be close to your family during this time of the year, as much as possible.

Celebrate the holidays in your own way.

Kyle doesn’t have specific traditions he celebrates over the holiday season. With his family, as he puts it, “we’re up for anything.”

As you gear up for the holidays, don’t be afraid to get creative. Find ways to celebrate in your own way or start a new tradition over-the-road. There’s no right or wrong way to be festive!

This might include putting Christmas lights on your truck, listening to festive music, or eating a holiday-themed meal.

Ultimately, it’s not the traditions that truly matter: What really matters is being there with your family when you can.

“It doesn’t matter what the traditions are, if I can count all my kids in one room, that’s all I need,” Kyle said.

Focus on your mental health

“The hardest part about the truck driving job is not the physical part of the job, it’s the mental job of loneliness.” Kyle stressed. “If you don’t stay in touch with people, you’ll keep going further and further down this dark rabbit hole.”

Stress and feelings of isolation increase for many during this time of year. As a dad, it’s important to continue connecting with others, especially those who may be going through what you are going through.

“Pick up the phone and call somebody,” he continued. “I have seen (the effects of loneliness), and it is ugly. Truck drivers who are grumpy, who stay on the road too long, they fall into that realm where they think nobody cares about them. It’s hard.”

Connect with others, exercise, sleep—do everything you can to care for your mental health. Right now, it’s more important than ever. There are plenty of people in the same field who will be willing to help if you need it.

Final Words

The holiday season can be tough for Prime driving fathers, but it doesn’t have to be. Take the time to connect with your family and other drivers and focus on your mental health.

“I know it’s tough,” Kyle said, “and right now between the economy and schedules, we really want to push hard to make a decent living for our families. But stay back from the steering wheel and spend time with your family.”

Here at Good Dads, we take mental health concerns seriously. Help is available. If you’re feeling excessive loneliness and not sure where to turn, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

We want to hear from you!

If you’re returning to a time-tested holiday tradition or trying something completely new with your family this year, we want to know about it!

Share your festive photos with your kids with Good Dads for an opportunity to be featured in a future blog! Simply email pictures, stories and hellos to [email protected]