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In this episode, I interview Michael, father of 2 school aged children and finding his way with 2 shift workers in the family. We talk about sleeping during the day, styling girls hair and the balance between more shifts and more family time.

The Lowdown

- Family of 4- 2 shift working parents (including some night shift)- 2 school aged child

2:18 Sleep2:46 Double shifts2:58 Kid wakeups3:16 Who are the people in your family3:56 2x night shift work4:00 Ability to swap out of night shift4:16 Sleeping during the day after a shift4:48 Need more hours sleep once you have kids5:10 Parenting super powers5:20 Turning a tantrum around5:38 Fatherly influence5:56 One on one time with each child6:08 Parenting decisions you make for the sake of sleep6:29 You do what you need to do6:36 Partners parenting super power6:42 Keeping everything together7:14 Focusing on what has been done not what hasn't been done7:40 School pick up and drop off7:50 In laws help out8:00 One partner works when the other is not working so 1 parent available a lot of the time8:10 A 7 day roster means you can have up to 3 days off in a row -> very available to children8:28 Never used formal child care or OSHC8:54 Friends helping each other out with an hour or so after school9:22 Shift work means parents are home at the times when many parents aren't....9:38 .....but then away from home on weekends9:58 Being responsible for children when you haven't had enough sleep10:06 Kids still get up early10:40 Will the kids say we weren't home enough?11:18 Inconsistency is our consistency11:28 Everyone home for dinner 1 or 2 nights a week11:42 Resilience in children12:08 Have you been able to choose your path?12:20 Expectations12:34 Half of extra shifts are by choice12:56 Balance between money from extra shifts and time with family13:20 Make peace with where you are13:46 Day shift works best for everyone14:26 Partner has less ability to swap out of night shifts14:36 Keeping out the house when some one is sleeping14:58 Next steps?15:12 Teenage years, more attitude and independence15:36 The logistics of all children being with a parent or some one else all the time16:14 Well supported at work?16:16 Yes, there is a good understanding that children's needs trump work16:40 Are you easily replaced at work if you miss a shift?17:10 Me yes17:20 Partner a little less so with a more senior role17:52 Funny or disastrous moments?18:00 Everyday18:46 Dads and daughters hair styles19:14 Father daughter hair styling sessions19:56 Everyday something funny happens and everyday something disastrous happens20:16 Is family life what you thought it would be?20:22 Harder than I thought20:48 Working around children!21:14 Any advice?21:24 Things fall into place22:22 The more you earn the more you spend22:34 Priorities and doing what supports that23:24 Stuck in the middle of those priorities .....balance23:38 Ability to do extra shifts accentuates that

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