anyone's dh work nights?

[my2cherubs]

dh has a new job working nights (5pm - 6am). We've two dds, 2 and 4. When he gets in at 6am he tends to wake the 2 year old up even though he tries his best to be quiet. This means we're all up too early and dcs get miserable. That's a problem in itself but then he goes to bed and trying to keep the two children quiet is proving IMPOSSIBLE. I've been taking them out as much as I can but need to be at home sometimes. I am telling them to shhh hundreds of times during the day and the two year old is prone to tantrums which are very noisy. I'm trying to keep them happy and play in the garden as much as possible but it's proving a real strain and I know dh isn't getting great sleep. Has anyone got any advice or tips? He's tried ear plugs but they don't really help.

Mine has worked nights since our eldest 3 were 4 3 and 1. It was hard in the beginning with having to keep them quiet but DH got used to it eventually. Once he gets tired enough he will sleep through anything! I think you've just got to ride it out.

can sympathise with what you are going through. DH used to work shifts while DS was younger and it really is difficult getting smaller kids to grasp the conecpt of staying quiet, isn't it! Is he working the same shifts every day or does it vary?

Things I used to do:

• go out a lot (!) but particularly during the time DH was trying to get to sleep
• it wasn't a big house but I tended to keep us in the room furthest away from the bedroom and close all the doors
• put a sign on the door to discourage the postman and random people knocking on door (my friends knew why so would always call e first!)
• disconnect the upstairs phone and disconnect everything if I went out
• might help if your dh drinks camomile and eats a banana before hitting the sack. I know it soudns a bit hippy but it will help him get sleepy which in turn will maybe make it eaier to sleep tthrough If I think of more I'll post later. I know there's nothing amazing here but there isn't a perfect solution to this kind of problem.

I was always so aware of telling ds to sssshhh and worried, probably unecessarily, about him growing up thinking it was bad to make any noise!! First time mum!
Forgot to say - it will get easier. DH will get used to his new sleeping conditions (as long as he doesn't let himself fret about it!) and the kids will get the hang of it too.

thanks for all the advice. There are some good tips here. Looks like we'll all have to learn to adjust. I think things will get easier when dd starts school in september and dd2 starts nursery. We've even toyed with the idea of setting up a camp bed for him in the garage! (gets very cold in winter though)

I know the op was on friday, but just wanted to say that I also have a dh who works permanant nights, he has done for years. As did my Grandad, I asked my Gran for advice about how she coped, and she had always gone witht the concept that if it was a baby asleap in the cot she would think nothing of hoovering etc and we would lead a normal life, so we do the same (although I don't hoover our bedroom while he is asleap like my Gran did!!). Do try the banana before bed it does work.