FIFO family life is really tough on kids

8 Comments

Our family’s life was forced into turmoil with my husbands redundancy. He now works FIFO (not by choice and not our preference). I thought our daughter was coping better than I was, but how wrong I was. She took it upon herself to create a book called “my FIFO dad”. It covered all significant events during a year, including Easter, Christmas and all of our birthdays – he was away for all of them in the book, just as he had been in real life. The book was the most amazing way for us to discuss exactly how she was coping and strategies we could all put in place to help each other. Communication within our family has never been better. I cannot stress enough the importance of understanding your children’s feelings and allowing them to express how they feel in whatever forum they can use, visual, verbal or otherwise. Her drawings were as poignant as her words.

Posted anonymously, 31st October 2015

8 Comments

- - mom94125 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    2:47 pm
yeah it can be hard for the littlies to say how they feel as they might not understand what exactly they feel. or they know they feel sad but not sure why etc. that book sounds like a great way to start to approach the topic.

- - mom81879 said
  - 05 Nov 2015
    5:46 pm
Oh no, what a hard situation to find yourselves in. Today’s workforce is so hard to to get into,new have to do whatever it takes to pay our bills sometimes. Fingers crossed this situation has some happiness for you all soon
- mom165081 replied
  
  12 Nov 2015 , 2:51 pm
  Thanks for your support – however, I am very well aware that there are so very many people in the same or similar situations. Its good to talk about these things as no one should feel alone.
- - Carolineb said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    9:30 pm
What a great way for her to express her feelings.

- - BellaB said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    8:38 pm
I believe a 14 year old has just written a similar picture book aimed at Defence children, who have to deal with extended parental absences.

- - mom90758 said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    12:47 pm
Your daughter is so sweet. Has the book being published then? I’m sure it could help a lot of other FIFO families!

- - mom93821 said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    9:20 am
A FIFO book is a great idea – good on her for coming up with this idea.

- - mum4107 said
  - 31 Oct 2015
    5:09 am
I can’t even imagine what life would be like with a fifo dad/husband.
Butvim so glad to hear the communication in your family is working well