3rd Shift

[Adamant]

Hey guys,

Starting a new job in a few weeks. The main reason is so my wife can quit work and stay home with the kiddo. I will be making considerable more money. Unfortunately I will be working 3rd shift for the next forseeable future . Anybody else work 3rd shift with kids? How do you keep the sanity? I worked 3rd when I was in college but didn't have a family or really any responsibilities at all.

Thanks

[Mike]

Work 3rd then sleep in the morning. It's the same as if you were away at a job during the day.

I've been on 3rd shift for 5 years now.

Mike

[HOGNUT]

It's tough. When you need to sleep, the kids make noise that seems quite to them but echos to the bedroom. Sleep with ear plugs. It seems that you rarely get the opportunity to spend quality time with the family.

[Rightwinger]

Going back to 3rd shift at my job soon as well. Love it. Some folks are built for it, I used to be and hopefully still will be. It was a bit problematic when the kids and wife were home on a snow day or holiday or something but I have a air filter in the bedroom to generate white noise and that helps.

The other great thing is you can hit a dentist appointment, get an oil change, pay a bill and not have to leave work or burn vacation time to do it. The big wigs also aren't around to pester me. I'm pretty much the boss on 3rds so get the job done and get out!

Course now with the evening part time job, that will be my "morning" and then go the night job...having two this time will be interesting!

[Westwindmike]

When I worked third's, I stayed up after I got off in the morning. Then I slept right up until time to go to work. It seemed more normal to me that way.

[usnbud]

Been working 7pm-730am for 12 years. ( 2 on 2 off plus every other weekend) My body has NEVER gotten used to it. I learned to not make any big decisions until after a day of "normal" sleep. I use blackout curtains, earplugs, and a noise machine. Take extra vitamin D.

[Murgatroy]

I worked 3rds for a good ten years before I had to dress up and play nice with dayshift.

I loved it. I was wired for it. The biggest factor in me taking the promotion to dayshift was so that I could spend time with my daughter.

It isn't hard exactly, I normally got home when she woke up so I got to spend a few hours with her then, and I woke up right before she went to bed, so I got to spend a few more hours with her. The hard part was the weekends, cause I would try to stay up all day and then sleep all night, and it always made Monday's rough.

To be honest, if I could keep my pay rate and work nights I might be happier. It was a much more laid back way of life.

[-boatman-]

I worked 12 hour swing shifts for several years and I slept with a noise maker. I built a house while working this and insulated the master bedroom walls all around and it was very quiet. I know that will not be a easy option for you without tearing your house all to pieces but if you have plans to build a house that might be a option.

[Guest lostpass]

3rd can be horrible. It can also be great. The deal with me was enforcing the sleepy time. It would be sunny out and I didn;t want to sleep. If I made myself sleep some it was awesome.

Plenty of friends couldn't stand it, put tin foil on the windows and so forth but, for me, it was pretty great.

[Guest J.D. Skull]

If my room wasn't pitch black sleep was only 1/2 as effective as night time sleep. Had too have twice as much, or felt like crap.

[Guest mustangdave]

worked 3rd shift...getting quality sleep time was the key...also worked swing shift here in Nashville after retiring from the military...worked from 5PM - 2AM...4 on 3 off...would get home around 3AM...unwind...get my son up for school...crash at 6:30 or 7...sleep until 3PM...just as he was getting home from school.

[jcj]

If you find you have trouble sleeping or don't sleep soundly for the first few weeks, I recommended small doses of melatonin. Cheap, non habit forming, and about as "natural" of a sleep aid as you can find. I take 3mg on occasion.

However, I am not a doctor nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[Guest Travtastik]

I take 1mg of melatonin when I cant sleep and it helps alot. I get home around 4am and nap till about 7 play with the boy for a bit and take him to daycare around 9. Come home and crawl back in bed.