If you have a big rig, you have a lot of big wheels that come with it. A “big wheel” is also a nickname for an important person. Over-the-road dads are “big wheels” themselves, providing goods across the country and raising their families at the same time. In this role, these over-the-road dads have a great opportunity to be a positive influence on others.

What can truck-driver dads do to positively influence their children? How can fathers play the role of “the big wheel” in their family? Can our positive influence on others help our children?

Father of two and Head of Driver Recruiting Travis Bacon has been working for Prime for 16 years. Through that time, he’s done his best to instill good values in his 8 and 12-year-old daughters. Even though he’s not an over-the-road driver himself, Travis’ position at Prime has allowed him to build his sense of empathy for people in that role. Let’s dive into his insights!

Find a balance in your parenting

Travis is divorced from the mother of his daughters, so he has them 50% of the time. During that time, he says he does his best to be an intentional father.

“You want to be their friend, to confide and trust in you,” he said. “You also want to show them the right way to live, the way to go about things…be stern where your boundaries are.”

Being a good dad is a balancing act, especially when being a good influence. Like Travis said, there’s a balance between being friendly and building trust and putting your foot down when necessary.

“I try to instill values,” Travis continued, “basic right from wrong and how to treat other people.”

Travis feels “very fortunate” that both of his daughters are good at school and involved in activities. They attend church with him every other Sunday and pray together at night before bed. On past Prime blogs, we’ve discussed the power of routines. Staying consistent with your parenting style, schedule and values helps build a sense of trust between parent and child. Just like any balancing act, you may occasionally lose your footing. When that happens, it’s best to focus on what matters to you.

Show others that you care

Being a positive influence on others helps both them and yourself. Travis says it’s important to his job that he make Prime drivers feel cared for, as Head of Driver Recruiting.

“(People) aren’t going to remember what you said; they’ll remember how you made them feel,” Travis said, referencing the famous quote from the late author Maya Angelou.

We’ve heard the same sentiment from other fathers, too. In a previous Prime Good Dads blog post, Prime driver Chris Showman discussed the importance of the Golden Rule: What comes around goes around. When you want to have a positive influence on others, start there. It also helps to gain perspective. Travis doesn’t drive over-the-road, but it’s important that he puts himself in the shoes of Prime drivers so they can work together efficiently.

Being influential requires discipline

Being both a good dad and over-the-road driver involves discipline and following through on your actions. For example, a driver might not want to make the trip from Kansas City to Tampa, but it’s his responsibility to follow through on that commitment. 

Following through on these promises is important, especially if we want children to do the same. Being an involved father requires discipline, especially in assuring that your children are doing what they’re told, such as doing homework before screentime or eating their veggies. 

While instilling values in your children through your positive influence, Travis says it’s all about managing the balance between friend and parent with your children through healthy boundaries. 

“You want your kids to like you, but you have to have boundaries,” he said. “At some point, they’ll be old enough to do whatever they want, but right now, both girls know what they have to do and do it. That stays with them their entire lives.”

Set a good example for your children

How can you be a positive influence on your children, even when you feel negative? For Travis, he says focusing on things you’re thankful for can go a long way. This comes up during his nightly prayers with his daughters.

“Each person has their own prayer,” he said. “The girls end up saying the same thing: how grateful they are for the things in life.”

When Travis focuses on the good things in his life, he’s able to have a positive attitude, and he teaches his daughters the importance of being polite to others and finding calm. Going along with putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, having empathy can go a long way.

“Go into life being positive and grateful and having empathy,” he said. “That’s the right way to live.”

For over-the-road dads, practicing gratitude is just one of the ways you can set a good example for the kiddos in your life. You may not feel like you have much influence, but you’d be surprised! Kids often emulate their parents. For more tips on how over-the-road dads can show gratitude, don’t miss this blog!

Ask leading questions

Longtime readers of the Prime Good Dads blog know the importance of communication for over-the-road drivers. Travis knows how crucial good communication is, and he suggests finding and writing down a list of potential leading questions the next time you have conversations with your children.

As a father to a tween, Travis knows all too well the dread of the one-word answer. If Travis asks, “How was your day?” or “Did anything exciting happen at school?” he’s used to getting answers like, “Fine,” and “not really.” He’s found a better alternative by open-ended questions to build a bigger conversation. The same strategy will work great for dads who are keeping in touch with their kids while on the road.

“Facetime is so incredibly huge for truck drivers to stay connected,” he said. “I Facetime my kids every night they aren’t with me. Understanding the kind of questions that would get (kids) to open up helps so much.”

Final Words

Travis loves every part of being a dad, even through the ups and downs, and watching his two daughters grow.

“(Your children) come into your life, you don’t know them at all, and then they become the most important thing to you,” he said.