Is life harder with school-age kids and a partner away?

My partner and I have two kids, ages 2 and 5. He works on a boat, with a rotation of 5 weeks away and 5 weeks at home. Meanwhile, I commute around 40–50 minutes to work, longer if there’s traffic.

I currently work reduced hours to manage the long commute and handle everything when he’s away. My job is flexible, so I work more when he’s home and less when he’s gone, plus I can do some remote work, which helps a lot. But I’ve been feeling utterly drained during his last few rotations, and I’m starting to think this setup isn’t sustainable.

Now, there’s a job opening closer to home. It’s rare to find something suitable for my education in this area, but I feel torn. I love my current job—it’s flexible, the work is varied, and my colleagues are amazing. The new position might feel like a step back career-wise, even though the shorter commute is tempting.

My biggest worry is how life will change when my eldest starts school. Will things get even busier? For those of you with older kids, does the school routine make everything more hectic? And are there others here with partners who work away for long stretches? How do you manage? Would love to hear your experiences!