Myself and my partner are both police officers working on the front line responding to emergencies and both work shift patterns. My pattern is 6 shifts on (days, lates and nights) with 4 days off and his is 4 shifts on 4 shifts off. We will have very little child care help due to family living far away or still work full time themselves.
I am already stressing about returning back to work, I don’t know how I’m going to make shifts work unless it’s a detriment to mine and my partners relationship by working a completely opposite pattern and with the cost of living going up rapidly I can’t justify dropping my hours too much! Not working shifts is not a ideal option in my role either unless I went into an office based role but I don’t want to give up my career path I’ve worked so hard for. Another issue is that it’s not a job I can just switch off from, most shifts you are off late and it’s pretty much expected of you.
Has anyone got any advice on how to juggle child care whilst returning back to shifts when your partner also works shifts?
Thanks in advance!