DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

DH can pick between working 3pm to 11pm or 11pm to 7am now. Our dd is 16 months & I am a sahm. Ehich do you think is better? He works 5am to 1pm now & getting up at 3am is killing us both. He has the chance to switch now. He is leaning towards overnight shift b/c it is about 10,000 more a year. Is money worth it?

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

I think because you are a sty at home mom it does not matter.. I know my husband gets real cranky when he does the over nights so maybe 3 to ll. But then he has to leave at two. You still have all morning. If he does the overnight, he will most likely sleep until 4pm and then you can have dinner and he can help with the bedtime routine. Its really a matter of what works for you guys.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

in all honesty, I grew up with a dad that worked 10-6 and it sucked! He would sleep all day Sat and we would never really see him (plus he worked in manhattan and lived all the way in ronkonkoma so he left around 8pm and got home around 7:30 before we went to school). It also was not good on his health! I would suggest 3-11.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

My Dh does midnights
I would recommend the overnight shift.
He will actually get more time with you and your DD because he will be at work while you 2 sleep so you can see him when he gets home in the morning and before he has to go to bed for the day.
Depending on how he works out a sleep schedule he can potential see you at night for a bit too.
And the extra money is always better.

My DH always said that he would never want to work a 4-12 type shift because it really breaks up your day- and then by the time you get home everyone in the house is asleep

It's hard working overnight and sleeping in the day, yes. But once he gets used to it I think it will work out

Message edited 8/12/2011 7:42:28 AM.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

one of my BF her husband have a rotating schedule and she hates when he is in the 3-11 shift. She say they really never see each other in that schedule because when he gets home he is not tire so he doesnt really go to bed until 4-5 and than wakeup just with time to get ready and leave.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

MY DH was on the swing shift until 2 weeks ago LOL he finally got days, but I didn't mind the overnight so much, now he's on days I wake up in the middle of thenight with the baby so it wouldn't matter either way. When he was on the swing he would be hom emore during the day, so I miss that. So I would pick overnight to have him home more during the day cause the other shift you would only see him mornings and before bed.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

My DH does a 3 to 11 shift and it totally sucks! I would def have him do midnights. Plus the extra money is an added bonus!

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

3-11. My dh has worked both shifts and the overnight is an extreme change and he would sleep all day.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

my dh works overnight now.. it took him a long time to adjust to it but i'd say he gets more time with ds that way. Our schedule is that he works 10pm-6am, comes home and goes to sleep right when I get up 7-8ish and then he wakes about 1pm which when he worked during the day he wouldn't be home till 4.. Like I said though, it takes a LONG time to adjust to it and he may be sleeping all day long in the beginning.. The only part that is going to suck is when I have my second dc, I hate handling the nights all alone..

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

11-7. When my DH works the 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. shift he gets home and sleeps during the day while the kids are in school. Then he gets up and spends the afternoon evenings with us. At Least you would be able to have a family dinner together every night!

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

I don't have a DH that works overnights, but I work overnights. I have been doing it for 6 years and its not easy on you or your body. I'm always tired. Alot of people don't mind it though and it won't be that bad since you are a SAHM. Are you okay staying by yourself everynight?
I have done the 3-11 shift too, but not when I had kids. It is a lot easier on your body, but I don't think I would want to do it now that I have a family. I like to be with my DH and DS for dinner.

The only concern I have is how heavy of a sleeper is your DH. During the summer my DH is home with DS everyday. It is hard sleeping with everyone awake in the house. My DS tries to get into my room. I lock the door but I hear him trying to get in and sometimes crying. I have a window AC and I don't think I could sleep without some kind of white noise. I reccomend something for your DH. Not only does he have the noise from inside the house, you also have the outside noise ( lawn mowers, construction, etc...) I guess I suggest for you DH to try the overnights. He is going to have a ruff few months and probably will hate it, but you start to adjust after awhile. Though after 6 years, I'm so done with overnights. I feel like it has affected my health even though I workout and eat healthy. Yet another think that is super important that he does while on overnights. YOu have to keep yourself healthy.

Message edited 8/12/2011 9:04:01 AM.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

Message edited 8/15/2011 10:59:37 PM.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

my DH works 6-2 and it totally sucks!!!! i would go for the overnight!!! he can sleep when he first gets home and then get up by lke 4/5 and you can have dinner together! we never have dinner together unless it's his day off. i work til 3 then go to the supermarket and get what i need for the night and then when i get home he leaves for work. so not only do i get up with the kids every day but i have to put them to bed every night and do homework. i would love if my hubby did midnights. at least in the afternoon he could help me out a bit!!!

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

I think I would go with the overnight shift

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

My DH did 3-11. It was closest to our scheduled and it worked out great. I wouldn't like midnights for him or for me.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

I would choose the 11-7 shift. My husband does both of those hours regularly, and the 3-11 stinks. It breaks up our whole day, and I end up feeling like I should stay up and wait for him to get home. Plus you miss dinner together, putting the kids to bed, etc. With the overnight, he comes home and sleeps until around 1 or 2, then he is up with us for the rest of the day.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

My DH works 7pm to 7am so he gets home in the morning around 830 w. the commute, leaves at 530 at night.

He has worked at night for almost 10 years now and it totally sucked before I had kids and when they were infants, he was sleeping the day away (it seemed).

Now that they are older 3 and 4, he can go to all their school events that most dads cant attend, he never misses anything - from halloween parade to games etc. He sleeps in the morning and gets up in the afternoon to spend time w. them before work (we'll go to a park or something). When they go to bed at night they call him and say "daddy, come home, I want you" and he just says "OK I'll leave right away" and by the time they are up eating breakfast he IS home. So they dont feel like he's ever really missing.

that being said, as a wife... its frustrating on days that he's off and he wants to stay up all night and eat again at 10pm and he gets annoyed that I'm exhausted by then. Then the first day or two he's off from nights readjusting makes him a cranky dad. But one day of crankiness... I wouldnt trade it. I love having him around for all their stuff- and so do they.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

Thank you all for your advice. He is going to go for the overnight. He is such a night owl he will be fine. He can also sleep anywhere, anytime. He will sleep during the day no problem. The money is also a big help w/ me staying home. I had been looking for something pt and now we wont need that. Thanks again!

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

I personally like the overnites. Only because if i want to deprive my self of a little sleep i can in order to see my kids. and also i know that they are sleeping when im away. My husband did overnites and he was different.. he needed his sleep. so it depends on how he adjusts. but in my opinion i would do overnites.

Re: DH's new work hours, which should he pick (cops wives, dh's who work midnights)

My DH has done both 4pm-12 and now does 12am to 8am. I hate both but 4-12 was waaaay worse IMO