Night shifts.. moms with young kids..?

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Specializes in CNA.

Hey everyone.. I'm not a nurse yet, but I'm looking at becoming a CNA and this seemed the best place to ask since you're all pretty experienced.. :-)

For those of you who have younger kids (not school age) how do you work around that with your sleeping schedule? (or lack of sleeping schedule.. LOL) My MIL seems to think that if I take the 11-7 I'll be able to just come home and sleep all day with a 2 year old underfoot. I'm like "hmm, no?" She's a... :bugeyes:

But anyway... I thought about this, and it would seem to make sense for daycare during the day, just like he'd be in daycare if I was working during the day.. right? But there's this niggling feeling pulling at me that putting my child in daycare so I can sleep is bad parenting. :smackingf

Any input? I'm really just sort of info gathering at this stage right now.. trying to make sure this will work no matter which set of hours I might be able to work.

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Specializes in orthopedics, ED observation.

Why do you think that putting your son in daycare while you sleep is bad parenting? Mine are in school while I sleep - is this also bad parenting? If you worked during the day shift he'd need to be in some type of daycare then. I understand why you are concerned - I'm a pro at the "Mommy guilt" thing. But, I'm here to tell ya with two teenagers under my roof - ya gotta pick your battles.

I would be much more concerned for your health r/t inadequate sleep and your DS's safety if you were trying to sleep with him home and otherwise unsupervised by another adult. There were times when my DSs were younger that I would inadvertantly take a nap while one (or more) was still awake. Oh, the fun messes that usually created... :icon_roll

You need to decide what will work best for your family, but then don't waste a lot of time second guessing yourself. You know the personalities and the specific needs that live under your roof - have faith in your abilites. It speaks well of your priorites and parenting skills that you are even considering what the best solution would be.

I hope you get good feedback from parents w/ kids closer to your DS's age. But, either way good-luck w/ your decision and new job opportunites!

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Specializes in CNA.

Yeah, I know... I guess I was bothered by my MIL's attitude. She basically told me that there's NO REASON why I'd need to put my child in daycare so I could sleep, and if I'm going to do that I should send him up with her instead.. which is NEVER going to happen. I have 3 children, ages 8, 4, and 2.. so it's not like I'm altogether new to this mommy thing. She just drives me up the wall sometimes with her BS.

I guess I just really wanted positive feedback that I'M right, and that it's much better for him to be actively supervised and me have a full-sleep tank. Talking to hubby sometimes is like talking to a wall.. I get an "eh, do whatever you want" response, which is unhelpful too.

Thanks. :cheers:

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Specializes in Critical care, neuroscience, telemetry,.

I've worked nights for 15 years, and at one point had 3 sons under the age of 4. Guess what I had been doing on my nights off? :redbeathe

I was fortunate to be able to go part-time when my youngest was born, so that it was only 2 nights a week (Friday and Saturday), and my husband could watch them during the day while I slept. Prior to that, when I worked fuu time, I worked a Wednesday and then Friday-Saturday. I would stay up on Thursday after working and take care of my two busy toddlers, knowing that I didn't have to return to work that night. I did this while pregnant with my third son, their brother. Frankly, I must have been insane. I don't recommend it, and I think daycare is a necessity if you're going to work 11-7 as a CNA.

Working nights still gives you more time with your family, I think. The hardest part for me is flipping my schedule around as often as I do. One day I'm Suburban Mom, queen of the PTA and Ruler of Cub Scouts, and that night I morph into ICU Action Figure, off to do battle with the forces of MRSA in my oh-so-flattering scrubs. The next day, I'm either mellow as jello or grumpier than hell, depending what awaits me when I get home (dirty dishes, laundry piled higher than my head, missing homework assignments...)

Good luck to you as you become a CNA. I'm sure you'll find a balance to the nursing/motherhood thing, and frankly, I think you'll enjoy it!

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Specializes in orthopedics, ED observation.

I guess I just really wanted positive feedback that I'M right, and that it's much better for him to be actively supervised and me have a full-sleep tank.

Yep, you're right! :D

Feel better now?

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Specializes in CMSRN.

Another way to look at it:

I have my son in daycare because I think it is good to socialize with other kids.

I have a kindergartener and 3 1/2 year old.

I pick him up at noon (he starts fulltime next week) and wait for my daughter to get off the bus.

Funny thing is I work weekends overnight. my hubby becomes Mr mom on the weekends. I do an extra shift here or there during the week too.

I started putting my kids in daycare during nursing school so i could study. I would rather them be with others kids so I could do more around the house. This allows me to be really attentive since I have taken care of errands while they are away. I would not be the mom I am now if I had my kids all day, every day. :bugeyes::bugeyes::bugeyes:

My kids love it and they are learning how to behave outside the home with others besides Mommy and Daddy.

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Specializes in Rural Health.

I actually LOVED working nights from 11-7 when my son was younger. It made perfect sense for us. My husband would take him to day care, I would come home and sleep until 2:30. We were back from day care and home around 3 everyday and I had almost 8 delcious and wonderful hours with my son every single night (try that working a 9-5 job...). I could bathe him and tuck him all into bed and then go to work while my boys slept at night.

Long story short I changed careers in my early 30's to nursing and I've worked a wide variety of shifts all thru NS and since graduating. I now work 3-12 hour nights and I love it. I have minor difficulty adjusting back and forth but it's getting better the longer I do it.

It's perfectly OK to be a good mom and work nights, I promise. Many of us do it and many of us do it very well. If you worked day shift anywhere, your child would be in daycare probably longer each day than if you worked nights, so have your MIL put that in her pipe and smoke it :innerconf

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Oh my.... I'm telling you, if you can afford it, put the kiddo in daycare! Trying to work 11-7 and then stay up all day with young kids is ABSOLUTE MURDER. Trust me, I know from experience. I worked 11-7 five nights a week for a few months last year, and then had to come home many days and stay up all day with my preschooler, while my husband worked. Even with the promise of being able to go to sleep as soon as he got home... it was still very very hard.

It's no different than if you worked during the day.

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I have 2 kids and before becoming a nurse, I worked as a lab tech for many years. Since they were born, I worked the evening shift-3-11, so that they would be in daycare only a few hours a day in the afternoon. My husband worked day shift. Even though we did not get a lot of family time, it saved a lot of money on daycare and my kids were able to spend more time with a parent. Don't feel bad, though, about putting your child in daycare. You do what you have to do to get by. I would suggest finding a good one, of course. My kids have gone to both home and center care, both are good. Center care is more expensive but I feel more regulated than home care. Home care is cheaper and more like of home of course. Good luck in your decision, it is never easy when you have to juggle work and kids.

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Specializes in CNA.

Oh my gosh... you all are SOOOO great! Thank you for all your replies and encouragement. Now I know why there are so many members here, everybody is awesome. :yelclap: I was feeling kind of bewildered at the whole situation, but I feel much better about pursuing it now.

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Specializes in LDRP.

I just realized that it will be worth the $500 a month to put my kids in a before/after school program as needed when I am working and that it is OK to do that--I have never had to use childcare (kids are 8 and 10) and I am thankful for that--but I dont think I am a bad mom for doing so now so I can work (and yes, I have had to fight the "guilt" demon).

You need to take care of the WHOLE family--which means sleep for you and good care for your kids.

Best wishes! ;)

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

Your MIL doesn't know what she's talking about. Trying to sleep with a 2yo running around the house is nuts. Not good for anybody.

If you did have a family member you felt comfortable leaving him with, that would be great, but it's obvious MIL isn't that person, so don't worry about it.

I found that a lot of folks just cannot get their minds around night shift. For whatever reason, they just cannot fathom that you are up and doing stuff while they're sleeping. For that reason, you may also have to set boundaries while you sleep. When I worked nights, the phone was off (in a true emergency my husband was reachable and could have come home and woken me up) and there was a note on the door- DO NOT DISTURB!!!

Your MIL might have a problem with this. Start out with boundaries and don't let her cause any issues!! If you work nights, you have to sleep!!!!

Nights can actually work pretty well with a family. Good luck.

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