Working moms, working nights....

[MomRN]

Anyone else out there?

I am a nurse, so I work three 12hr shifts 7p-7a. I love nights! Fortunately my dh is in school right now, so we just have to work around a school schedule. It will be more difficult once he gets back into the "real" world.

 

[SunnieRN]

I have worked your same schedule since my daughter and niece (whom I raised and count as my daughter) were 8. Some of the teen years were hard, but I have good girls and it all went well in the end!! I also love nights. There are not as many politics.

 

[Maleficient]

So glad I opened this thread! I was layed off from sales in December and we are moving to Florida cool1 - as soon as Florida sends me my RN license, I will be starting as an RN again, most assuredly nights! I've been really nervous about how I'd handle that with 3 kids in school (high, middle, elem), just hoping I'd get home before the youngest has to go. DH also layed off, so he'll handle the AM I guess....thanks for giving me hope that it won't be he**!!

 

[intheworks]

Another RN here also working 12 hour night shifts. My DH just recently went back to work after being laid off for 2 long years. It was nice having him home to run things for me. I had forgotten how hard it can be!

 

[MomRN]

Well, my little one is almost 4, and I know it's hard on him...particularly when I work 3 in a row. He is glued to my behind. But, I think it would probably be the same if I worked days. Our issue is that he has adapted to my schedule, and sometimes won't go to sleep until midnight and will wake up after 10am. Thankfully, he has afternoon pre-school, so it all works, but I worry about what will happen when "real" school starts in a year.

 

[laurafergie]

I bar-tended for years when the older kids were young. I went to work at 6pm and closed. I did this so I would be home in the morning and when they got home from school. I gave it up when I hit my early 30s and my patience with the general public gave out.

 

[momof5boys]

Hi! I've been working 12 hour nights for years now! It was harder when the kids were little and DH was working. I had to get up early to get them from school. Now DH is laid off and the older boys can get the youngest in a pinch. I'll probably go to bed around 11 or 12 today and get up at 5. I try to stay up later the night before I work(was up until 2:30 last night, then got up at 6:30 this am) I tried days for 1 yr and it was horrible(someone here said politics?!) I was so frustrated with the docs, they ordered all sorts of inpatient tests before people got admitted(come on people this is and ER!) Patients were there forever, now I know why it's so backed up when I come in at 7! I don't think I will ever work dayshift again, even though whenever a spot opens I get first dibs because of seniority! Plus I don't function well until at least 10am!
My youngest is a nightowl like me. In the summer he stays up until 1 or so then everyone sleeps in, it's great! I come home, everyone's asleep, I can relax, check the computer then crash! Just make sure to work on earlier bedtime about a month before school starts. I used before school care back when my DH worked so I could get to bed earlier since I had to wake up to get the kids. Make your school plans now, but make sure you plan so you get enough sleep. You make think it's best to keep your kids home as much as possible, but do you really want them to remember how cranky you were because you were tired?