Seriously how do people look after DC after night shifts?

[AveAtqueVale]

This is the first time I've done a night shift and had to look after the DC next day and I'm dying. I worked 9-9.30, had one 20 minute break at 6am, got home at 10. FIL (who'd already been looking after them since DH left for work at 6am) kindly took them to the park for an hour so I had a nap then, but then he had to go off and do his own thing. So DC (5 and 2) have been with me since then. DS1(5) has watched approximately 20 episodes of Tom and Jerry, and DS2 (2) is currently walking round naked eating a bag of quavers(which he is periodically dipping into the remains of a discarded yoghurt), having tipped what feels like every toy we possess onto the floor. DH has colleagues who regularly look after their kids in between night shifts and I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW. DH is due home at 4.30 but has just told me he's going to be late... I may kill him.

If it's going to be a regular thing then you need to have proper childcare in place. It's not sustainable.

You need childcare. You can't carry on on that little sleep.

You need to find paid childcare for your children. No one in their right mind would try and look after little children on literally no sleep.

I don't think people generally do that. They have childcare for during the day as if you would if you were working daytimes. Luckily this means that you may get away with holiday clubs etc as you don't need full days

IME the only way is childcare for young children, I did it when mine were older and that was doable as they could look after themselves for a couple of hours.

Not fair on any of you. Are you working tonight? Will you be safe?

It's not a regular thing. Thank goodness. School summer holidays + childminder is away + grandparents busy + DH unable to get day off.

But I know some people do do it regularly and I just cannot fathom how.

They could only do it with older children.

You can't do it with young children without help.

You are unavailable for nightshift is the only answer if your husband is going to be unsupportive.

I'm glad the consensus seems to be that people don't actually do this often. I've been feeling very pathetic for my apparent inability to cope. It's DH's birthday tomorrow and I had grand plans of baking a cake with the DC. Instead I've been sitting in a crumpled heap on the sofa... Not working tonight or I wouldn't have even attempted this, it wouldn't have been safe.

If you aren't working a second night, it is manageable. Knackering but manageable.
But you cant do 2 night shifts, and childcare between them. At some point you need some sleep, and a 1 hr nap isnt sufficient.

How old are DHs colleagues kids? I'd guess younger or older - ie still napping, or old enough to be left for screens for a few hours. Not at the age yours are where they dont nap, but can cause whole house destruction if left unsupervised.
If FIL had kept them busy for an hour, fed them a snack, and left a 5 and 8 yr old infront of a film, you might have got a 4 hr chunk. Added to another sleep 5-8, and you might have made it through. But you are several years off that.

Enjoy your sleep when it comes, I think your DH’s colleagues are maybe looking after older kids who don’t need direct supervision.