Being a single parent and working full time is very hard on the mom. It is even more challenging for single moms who have to work full-time on the NIGHT shift. Some of their key challenges are;
- How to arrange for the kid’s childcare
- How to create time for social life?
- How to balance work, family, and self
Single moms working night shift do have options they can consider for childcare that are both safe and convenient that includes family, friends, daycare, nanny etc.
Safe and Convenient Childcare Options for Night Shift Moms
1. Ask Parents/Family to Help
Your family will always be your number support. You can hence rely on them to care for you child safely and with love. It can be your mom, your younger sister, or even your cousin whom you can entrust for safe childcare.
You need the convenience and reliability of having round-the-clock care for your child both at night and during the day. Some options you have are
- Move in back to your parents with your kids
- Have a family member move in with your house instead
- Drop the kids at your parents/family house every night
- Have your parents or siblings come to you daily instead
Nights are always sensitive and you will be more at ease when your child is in the hands of people that you trust. Because you need to sleep, the same plan may care for care during the day or you can do daycare if not available.
2. Ask Friends to Help Babysit
Your close friends can also come in very handy for you in terms of childcare. Ensure that it is a friend with whom you feel sale offering care to your child. They may move in you , commute daily or you can drop the kids at their place.
The convenience allows you a chance to work at night and sleep well during the day as you have someone round the clock looking after your baby.
They may offer care both during the night and day or you may need to supplement with daycare during the day.
3. Hire a Live-in Nanny
A live-in nanny offers very reliable and convenient childcare . It is one of the most solid and convenient plan for single moms working the night shift. Your child care gets round the hour care and you do not have to worry about them when you are working.
You will also get adequate and quality interrupted sleep during the day. Further, there are no drop-offs or pick-ups hence you have more free time on your hands to spend with your kids, friends, and yourself.
However, a nanny is very expensive. The cost is even higher for a live in nanny since they are looking after your baby during the day and the night. However when living in your house, your kids are safe.
In addition, they are hard to find as most nannies prefer to work during the day and also live at their place. Nonetheless consider looking around for one that fits your needs.
4. Look for Night Babysitters
You can also use night babysitters who simply come to your house at night and babysit your baby at night. They are convenient for a night shift worker who has an alternative childcare plan during the day.
However, they are hard to find so if you find one roll with it. In addition, they are costly as they may charge per hour.
5. Enroll Baby into both Daytime and Night Time Daycare
Daycare is great for childcare as it is affordable, quality and convenient. Also a majority are offering childcare services during the night. Some urban areas have lots of nighttime businesses running and hence offer nighttime daycare services.
You are highly likely to find a night daycare for your kid in your area since more daycare’s run 24 hours and are now open at night. Night daycare are equally as safe as day time daycare.
When using daycare, you need to have your baby on full night. During the day, you can take half-day so that you get some sleep and spend the other half with your baby. If you have personal errands to run, you can enroll for full day too. This is when you are working on a project, doing cleaning or general housekeeping, meeting with friends, or simply having “me time”.
Read: How to have a Social Life while Working Night Shift
Work-life Balance Tips for Moms Working the Night Shift
1. Find a Support System
Having a support system is very crucial in managing to work night shift as a single mom. What you can do is surround yourself with people who love and care about you. The system that will back up and hold when you are about to crack from the weight of it all. You cannot (don’t have to) do all this alone.
It sure takes a village to raise a child and you need all the help you can get.It includes your family members, your close friends, colleagues, and neighbors, and just about anybody else who can play a role in making your life easier and better.
You just cannot underestimate the power of these people. Don’t try to take everything head on on your own as soon the weight shall be too much for you.
Having someone to talk to or someone willing to have your back is very important. Asking and accepting help does not mean you are not a strong mom. It means you are human and willing to do all it takes to make your night shift work arrangement thrive.
A strong support system will support you as a single mom working night shift by;
- Being a backup childcare option i.e. when your primary child caregiver has bounced and you need to report for your night shift
- Running errands for you when you need to sleep or when you are at work. e.g. dropping or picking your kid from daycare because working at night is challenging
- Encouraging you and motivating to not give up on your career and family goals
- Being available when you need to talk to someone just about anything that is weighing on you
- Being available to share special moments and memories
- Allow you to vent out without being judged about your work or motherhood challenges
2. Plan and Prioritize your Events
You will soon realize that you cannot do everything you want to do or show up at every social invitation you get while working the night shift. Already your time is limited by the nature of your job whereby you only have a few hours of day time to fix everything else in.
Further, your time is working against everyone during the day when they are active and you need to sleep. The most effective and healthy way of handling this is by planning and prioritizing. Identify the activities that are most important and schedule them in.
- Always plan to avoid inconveniences that working night shift may bring
- Schedule your activities. Avoid impromptu events as they will cost you later and disorient your day
- Balance out kids, family, friends, and your time on your schedule. Each element is crucial
- Do not feel guilty about turning an invitation down if you have to sleep
3. Have a Solid Childcare Plan
Given the nature and complexity of your work, you need a solid, reliable, and convenient childcare plan. It goes without saying that childcare is any working mom’s number one worrier.
Moms just can’t function without a reliable and convenient childcare for the kids. The situation is even more challenging for single moms working the night shift as they lack the support of your partner to step in caring for the baby while you sleep or work.
You, therefore, need a double solid child care plan, which can get very costly. You need a child care arrangement for both during the day (while you get your necessary sleep) and during the night (while you are at work). Your childcare options will have to be external.
4. Self-care
Prioritize self-care. Get adequate sleep, eat healthy, exercise, don’t indulge in alcohol/drugs, get some “me time” etc. which are all crucial for working moms.
Adequate quality sleep is crucial. You should not forego sleep for anything especially when followed by a work shift
