5 Tips on How to Keep Kids Quiet with a Night Shift Spouse
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My husband worked the past 8 years on night shift. It is a struggle. As a police officer’s wife, there are many complications that occur due to having a night shift spouse including loneliness. Another complication occurs once children arrive; how do I keep a screaming baby quiet during the day while my spouse is trying to sleep? In all honesty, it’s nearly impossible to keep children quiet during the day, but if you would like to try to help the situation, here are some ideas:
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Take your kids outside to make as much noise as they want if the weather is decent. Other ideas for poor weather conditions include indoor play places, community libraries, children’s museums, and other community events. Anticipate days when you know your children’s noise may be an issue and plan ahead. I like planning one activity outside the house that I’m going to do with my kids each day. I intentionally plan this activity to be right after breakfast time. You may want to draw pictures of these activities on a whiteboard family calendar (like this calendar that I love), so you’re kids can look forward to the fun activities as well.
Accept that kids will be kids. Thus, try to make your husband as comfortable as possible to sleep with the following tips:
Get a box fan, which is the best white noise machine, for your spouse. Other white noise machines are not quite as loud as a traditional box fan. Box fans work wonders for white noise machines for babies too!
Get your husband ear plugs. Ear plugs may be uncomfortable but losing sleep is worse. See if your police spouse is willing to wear ear plugs.
Put up black-out curtains in your bedroom. Black-out curtains can help your spouse to feel like it’s time for his body to sleep during the day.
If you struggle with sleeping during the night when your spouse is working, check out this blog for police wife sleeping tips.
