Sorry, no Thursday Thirteen from me this week and forgive me a little if I am slacking in my blogging. I just started night shift last night and I am focusing on adjusting to that while juggling.
One thing I noticed is by doing a google search on the effects on working night shift or graveyard shift (ever wonder why hospitals don’t call it graveyard shift?), one can come up with a lot of information on the hazards of working off hours….think about that the next time a loved one is in the hospital. While you are sleeping cozy in your bed, the night crew is statistically increasing their chances of developing some major health concerns. The one bright spot is a recent study that suggests the risk of acquiring Parkinson’s Disease decreases for the night crew. Whoo-hoo!
Of course there are strategies to survive working the night shift. Some even like those hours. I confess I always did. There’s less doctors, administrators or drama working nights. But I did not like the switching back and forth from night and day while raising my family. Plus folks look at you oddly when you do shift work. It was bad enough, when Holly was a little girl, in the eyes of the uber PTA stay at home moms that I “selfishly” work outside the home but it was even worse that I looked like I just rolled out of bed when I would pick up the girls from school. For the record, I did just roll out of bed. Then there are the random calls to your home where one is surprised that they woke you. It’s the middle of the day for pity’s sake. This woman is STILL in bed. No, this woman JUST went to bed and needs to try to sleep for three more hours before she picks up the kids.
See there is good and there is bad. Like everything else in life, I just weigh them out and for now night shift will work better for my family. At least when school starts again I will be able to see them off in the morning and be here (just waking up) when they are done in the afternoon. At least the SAHMs can’t say my kids will be latch-key kids anymore.
Today, while trying to sleep, I discovered one of the reasons why night shift workers are even more sleep deprived than your average American worker.
Darling daughter: “Mom, mom, mo-om! MOM! Are you awake mom?”
Me: “mmmpphhh? Huh?
DD: “Mom is it okay if I go over to Hailey’s mom’s cousin’s house to swim for the day?”
Me: (looking at the clock and seeing I have only slept for three hours) “I think no. I don’t know Hailey’s mom’s cousin and I am sleeping here.”
DD: “Oh. Sorry mom.”
She didn’t seem to understand. Perhaps she will if I wake her tonight say around 2 am tonight. I’m thinking that I need to find some daycare for the big kids too because apparently cheerleading, youth group, dance and swim lessons isn’t enough to keep them occupied while mommy catches some zzzzz’s.
It will be an adjustment for us all under the Big Top.
LOL yeah…most kids don’t realize or remember that the parents need sleep too. Good luck on getting some rest!
The SAHM’s in your area sound like a pain in the ass. It’s more than unfair to give someone a hard time for not showing up to cut and paste just because she worked all night. Laura, maybe you should’ve told them you were a stripper. That would have been hilarious, no?
Hubby worked nights up until about 4 years ago, and I remember well the days of “sshhh! Daddy’s sleeping” LOL
Well, I’ve worked night shift for about a year now… For the second time. I’ve noticed that I have progressivley felt worse over the course of the year. I NEVER feel rested after sleep, I’m gaining weight, and I sleep during the day to leave my wife with the majority of everyday house work and family raising duties. I work nights five days a week ( sun night-thurs night, finishing Friday morning) I’ve also noticed, the only semblance o normalcy as far as regulating emotions and physical soundness is Saturday morning after I have slept ( tossing and turning) through the night. I can’t see the benefits anymore.