Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

Has anyone done this to avoid having to shell out $$$$ for day care? I started researching some day cares this week and the cost of TWO DAYS alone is going to eat up more then half my paycheck each week. If DS ever went F/T forget it........I'd be working just to pay for day care.

Also, has anyone taken off some or their credentials and work experience if these kinds of jobs are a bit of a "step down"?

I really do need to work because DH is self-employed and we couldn't afford health insurance otherwise.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

i did start off working the off shift but the dh got switched to the third shift and it became imposible for me to even work.. i do know in my field they will gladly take volunteers for anything but the day shift because no one ever wants to work them

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

I work 3-11 and my hubby all hours thankfully my mom is able to watch dd in between which is usually from 2-6ish but i love working 3-11 now but when she goes to school i think i will probably switch

Message edited 9/20/2009 5:13:02 PM.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

I am going to try to pitch to my current employer if they would be willing for me to work this shift and maybe a weekend day. I think it could be beneficial so we shall see!!! I have a little bit of time though, just want to try to get all my ducks in a row way in advance.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

i work overnights and am trying to find a day position with a more predictable schedule (i.e- same days every week) b/c of having a baby- so for me its the opposite. I have many coworkers that work nights and raise their kids during the day. They survive on 3 hours of sleep and are always zombies- its just not something that will work for me. Some people can do it, but i just dont want to be one of them. If i do stay on nights (which it looks like that might be the case for a little while) i would still get daycare P/T for the days that i had to work (or after i worked) so that i could get some sleep.

There's pros and cons to each side, and everyone is different, but make sure you really think about all angles of it- beyond just the cost of daycare- to see if it would work for you

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

Never assume that being present at home = no need for daycare. You need sleep. I work p/t as a nurse and have always worked the overnight shift even before kids. It just works for me I guess. I either work weekends so DH can watch my DD while I sleep or I work the night before she goes to preschool. A zombie is not capable of watching children

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

Posted by Disneygirl

Never assume that being present at home = no need for daycare. You need sleep. I work p/t as a nurse and have always worked the overnight shift even before kids. It just works for me I guess. I either work weekends so DH can watch my DD while I sleep or I work the night before she goes to preschool. A zombie is not capable of watching children

Message edited 9/20/2009 7:21:27 PM.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

Yeah, I think overnights would be an absolute last resort. I would try to do a 3-11 or 4-12 kind of shift before that.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

When I had my first child I was working FT nights as a nurse, and then went to per diem so i would work on my husbands nights off, which meant i usually got 5 hours of sleep-- horrendous but had to do it. My DH then was able to switch to 3-11p, so my mom would watch DS from 7p-12m for us, which helped a little, but truthfully I think if you had to switch try for 3-11, so you would be able to still get home to bed by midnight.. It really takes a toll on your system working overnight.. GL

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

I work every Friday night overnight (7p-7a) and while I love that I am able to work and get out of the house, working overnight is tough. I am lucky and have my mom or MIL watch DS so I can sleep. There is no way I could stay up all day after working all night.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

I work overnights and would KILL to have a job where I worked normal hours. I have looked into it, but it means getting out of my field and making less money. This would mean an entry level job where my entire paycheck goes to daycare. (We have no family on LI.)

I only work two overnights (typically) during the week and my other hours change around my husband's schedule. (he also works a 24/7/365 job, and never has the same days off.) If I worked f/t overnights I think I may have jumped off a bridge by now.

DS didn't nap more than 20 minutes at a time the first 10 months of his life. Sure, he slept great while I was working. Most people are so happy when their child sleeps through the night so early. NOT ME!!!!!!! I think it will be different when he gets older and is in school.

I do have to tell you that today I hadn't slept in 24 hours and was a total zombie. When DH was at work I told him that if DS didn't nap that I would kill myself. He knew I meant it. Thankfully for all of us, I got an hour of shuteye.

Re: Second shift or overnight & "step down" jobs

I also work overnights. I chose this shift because I didn't want to put my DC into daycare. Not just b/c of the $ but b/c I just didn't want them in FT daycare. Before this job I had a very good job as a Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor and this job is def a "step down". I did b/c this is the sacrifice I am willing to make for my DC. I however am not really that "career-minded". If I didn't have to work for the money, I would not work at atll. I'd be home with my DC full time. I do work FT but it is 3 nights, 12.5 hours each. It is tough. And as PPs said, don't think you won't still need somebody to watch your DC. You WILL need to sleep when you come home. The past few weeks I have not had a babysitter after coming home in the morning. I've been up for about 30 hours with just a 3 hour nap in there somewhere. It has been doable, but I do need to find somebody to watch my DC. But the way we have it worked out, I only need somebody 1 day a week. DH works M-F and I work Th-Sat. So DH watches them on Sat and Sun so I can sleep and we need somebody to watch them on Fridays. Maybe if you pick up this shift, we can work out a babysitting swap so we can both sleep when we need to.