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Original poster

if your dh/dp work shifts how does it affect your life?

12 replies

bubblepop · 04/09/2007 14:22

mines just gone back on shifts much to my irritation
its hard work with 4 kids when he's not around in the evening. he's so dog tired but won't admit it. this morning he left for work at 6am and left the back door unlocked and wide open,with me and the kids fast asleep upstairs in the house anyone could have walked in
i suppose i should be grateful, atleast he's got a job and is working to support us.

OP posts:

Peachy · 04/09/2007 14:34

Dh ahtes his shifts (permanent nights). So do I tbh, as it means I am limited- cant join any groups, amke any friends very well- even if he were off weekends but he's not, its a rolling shift do fifferent days off / on

I AM grateful of the income mind, but do find it tiring, esp atm as am 10 weeks pg and need to sleep in the evenings, not chase errant kids who are missing their daddy

PrincessGoodLife · 04/09/2007 14:35

It is definitely not easy so you have my sympathies. Dh used to work shifts but thankfully doesn't any more. It was very bad for his health in the long run and of course not great for us as a family. On the plus side you do get to go out on weekdays when town and family type places are less busy.

kslatts · 04/09/2007 14:57

We find that dh's shift work well, I work full time and with him doing shifts it means on some days he can take the children to school or collect them. It can be a pain trying to organise family things at the weekend though as he often has his rest days during the week.

nailpolish · 04/09/2007 15:01

ive worked nightshift for years
its perfect for us and saves us a fortune in childcare expenses

sheepgomeep · 04/09/2007 20:58

dp has always worked permanent nights. He's temping in a job where he he works 5 nights a week and I HATE it.

But its the only job he's had any success in getting unfortunately.

I could cope far better if dd2 wasn't a nightmare at night

It's a pain isn't it peachy, you have to work round thier shifts and thier daytime sleep and you seem to have no break and have the kids 24/7

Why do these bloody companies insist ion 5 nights a week committment. It totally wrecks family life and nearly drove me and dp apart last year when he worked in tescos on the same shift.

I was pg then too

LadyTophamHatt · 04/09/2007 21:05

Dh has worked shifts since we started living together.
Its one week earlies (earliest start is 4:03 am, one l week lates(latest start is around 6pm)

TBH I don't mind it raelly. Our routine works the same when he's here as when he's not.

I'm sure he see alot more of the children working shifts then if he worked 9-5, 5 days aweek

gingeme · 04/09/2007 21:10

DH works all different shifts. Some start at 4am-11 which you would think is great as hes home day time but he comes home and sleeps for a couple of hours. Or some ,like this week, hell start at 7pm till 1.30 am which doesnt help as he sleeps till about 10 so he misses bed time and breakfast time which is when I need help most and I have to keep a 3 year old and 10 month old out of the bedroom. Whats worse is he hardly ever gets weekends off which I realy miss.

ImBarryScott · 04/09/2007 21:15

DH works shifts (earlies, mids, lates and weekends). I do find it a bit of a grind not to have help very often in the evenings and at night, as DD is a poor sleeper. The hours are pretty long too, so I don't feel that I can ask him to do too much when he's here.

The only upside is that if he's here at night, he will get up to DD, as he's often missed seeing her in the evening.

Mercy · 04/09/2007 21:21

It's a pita. My dh does a split shift - it's great for him and not particularly good for us as a family.

The hours sound good on paper but it's actually not good in real terms.

Mercy · 04/09/2007 21:23

sorry I left out hte when I said it's great for him.

Don't get me started!!!!!!!!

violetdisregard · 04/09/2007 21:31

My dh works earlies and lates in any combination. It's a pain but I've learned to be very persistent at planning ahead and getting him to put in requests. Have to remind him his rota affects us all. Plan Plan Plan. Sometimes it feels like its just me so I just carry on. I take the kids to the park or wherever and put up with dh's puppy eyes saying he would've liked to come and tell him to plan things for his days off then. I pretty much stick to the same routine that works for me and kids, organising clothes, food etc., the night before, no matter what shift he is going to be. The kids 7 and 3 also know that mum's routine reigns supreme! It frees up more time for us all in the long run. Good Luck bubblepop

Jossiejump · 04/09/2007 21:42

I love the fact that DH gets to see the boys in the mornings sometimes and can take them to school, making him a lot more hands on than other dads. I also enjoy the times when he works lates to have a bit of me time. I dislike being on my own at weekends sometimes and the fact that the weeks when he works nights I feel like a single parent.
We've thought long and hard about it and have decided that we couldn't take him changing back to conventional hours as we have adapted to shifts, not to mention the drop in pay (although I don't like it when like last year and this year he has to work on Christmas Day, but then again someone has to).
I'm a bit biased as I am also the daughter of a shift worker and the sister of a shift worker (makes meetimg up for family occasions fun to organise!!)

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