I've lived through that scenario. Painful and sickening. As a truck driver I was gone all the time. They get used to you not being around, but that doesn't stop the loneliness. Finally (at least in my experience), all you are is financial support (a paycheck), because they've learned to handle the house, family, bills etc without you. When you make just one-road trip too many, or stay out just one too many days, they finally have had enough- and that's when they start wandering.