Hospitality, Friendship, Encouragement

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A Change In Schedule

My husband is back on a rotating shift after several years on day shift. He works 2nd shift currently. What this means is a change in shift for me as well.

I am used to getting the chores and school done in the morning and having the afternoon free for extras, like bowling, piano, playing outside, art. I also used
the afternoons to start dinner, sew etc...

Now I find I must put aside this schedule so that we can be on my husbands' schedule. This has meant some adapting, but over all it is going well. I want to be free to let the kids go with Daddy to get hay for the horses, or go outside and help him move firewood from the other side of the creek. We want to be able to go on a field trip etc.

Their are many perks as a homeschool family in having him on this shift. He is here for the bulk of the kids' day. We are committed to having a main meal together everyday, so the girls and I are cooking "dinner" for early afternoon. This is great because now on the evening we eat leftovers or a sandwich and we start to wind down earlier than when Daddy was getting home at 5:00 p.m. and then we had to eat and then he had stuff he wanted to get done outside or places to go....the evenings were busy and hectic after being busy during the day.

Now the pace is slower in the evening, but the family has enjoyed the day together doing various things, including school work. What we don't get done during the day, we do after Dad leaves for work.

This also leaves plenty of time in the evening for reading, knitting, computer time, a nice long soak in the tub...

We are thankful for my husband's job and for the fact that our lifestyle allows us such flexibility!

10 comments:

Becky K. said...

We "day" people miss you...but I think it is wonderful that you can spend so mcuh time with Tim around!

Karen said...

That flexibility is a huge blessing of homeschooling!

Praying that the adjustment goes as smoothly as possible for all of you. Sounds like you're off to a good start.

~~Deby said...

Sounds like you are doing a great job of adapting and keeping the important things first....
Deby

Tracy said...

I know exactly what you are talking about my hubby worked second shift for years! That was one of the many reasons we choose to homeschool. He has now switched to 3rd shift. It can take a while to adjust be it can be done!

Ronda said...

Enjoy all these changes, and find ways to make the most of them. Often times people get far to upset when schedeule's change and upset their daily lives. Yet this can often be a chance to enjoy something different. Finding new ways to do our same old things can be fun and challenging with-in it's self. Enjoy all the extra time with ur hubby.
Love & Prayers,
Ronda

P.S. Thank you, my sweet friend, for letting the Cooper family know you are praying for them. I am sure that means the world to them, and it means even more to me. You are precious and so giving of your time and heart, to stop and offer words of prayer for a family you've never met. To me, this speaks MULTITUDES about you. Thank you so very much my sweet Mrs. Rabe (Deanna? isn't it? just wonderin)

Love & Prayers,
Ronda

Kelly said...

I love that you have such a great attitude about adjusting to the change. So many times, I hear people complain about having to adjust to a change. I hope that Tim will be able to sleep well -- I hear that is usually a problem with a swing shift.

Unknown said...

That is the perk to homeschooling I love. We adapt almost daily to my husband's schedule with the restaurant. He never has the same days off or the same hours week after week. If he's home in the mornings, we go to the park, have lunch together, then hit the books. If he leaves early, we get as much schooling done before he returns home. Then evenings are used for family supper and park, or soccer, or errands, etc. So I know where you're coming from with this post. My husband has been in the restaurant business for over 20 yrs. and we've NEVER had a set schedule!

sherry said...

When we first began homeschooling my husband worked from 9-9 which made for *very* long days for all of us. I altered the home hours a bit to include our daughter being up later than typical so she could spend time with Daddy and us as a family. We adapt, don't we? :o)

Brittany Ann said...

When I was a home-schooled, one of my best friend's father who worked a night shift. From what I remember, he didn't return home until 3 a.m. And her family, thanks to home-schooling, was able to change their schedule to mesh with his so they could function as a family unit, with all the meals and together time. It was wonderful! It was a good thing to experience and learn for all of us, even those of us just in the same home-schooling community as the family, because for such young children, we got to experience a whole range of schedules!

P.S. Thanks for the lovely welcome to the blogging world!

Nicole said...

Change can be hard, but isn't it nice to have that time at home with your children and husband! I love it!

I will continue to pray for you!

Happy Christmas Adam!

  We had a lovely Christmas service yesterday at church. Then we took the girls home, we came home and I made Monte Christo sandwiches for l...