The New Schedule
I wrote a post a couple years ago all about Mike's schedule and my love-hate relationship with it.
Well friends, for the first time in his 10 years of policing, his schedule has changed. And it changed about a month or so ago (I *think* I've talked about or alluded to this in previous posts?! Maybe?! Maybe not?!! I can't remember. #babybrain).
Anyways, I thought I'd take a wittle bit and talk about his new schedule, how it's working for our current family of 4 (soon to be 5!), challenges, successes, what is working, and what isn't. Exciting stuff, isn't it?!! I'm sure you're rolling your #dontcare eyes and exiting out of your browser window right now.
But! If you are still here to read my ramblings, THANK YOU! I always find it interesting looking at other families' schedules and how they do things, so maybe someone out there is interested in ours too?! Especially since we have kind of a unique set up.
Here's a glimpse into a recent month's schedule...I actually have an online schedule link (thank you Google slides) that I sent out to our babysitters with the dates/times we need sitters for and who's claimed dibs on them. Before, this rotated every 3 weeks with Mike working 7a-3p and 3p-11p with some random weekdays off. Now, since he works permanent 11p-7a, we really don't need anyone to watch the kids. However, we still do, because, alas is life, things come up!
So! The gist of our schedule: I work Monday through Friday 7:30am - 3:30pm from the beginning of August until the beginning of June...with some random half days or late starts or days off thrown in there (or as is coming at the end of January, a 12-wee maternity leave). Mike works 11p-7a all year long with 3 weeks of vacation that he picks. His days off vary -- he usually has one to two weekends off a month...some of his days off are 2 days, 3 days, or 4 days, just all depends on the rotation of the schedule. Patrick goes to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7am - 3:30pm -- I drop him off on my way to work and pick him up on my way home. Rosie has a standing Wednesday date every week with NeeNee so she's there from 7am - 4pm on Wednesdays. Follow all of that?!! We be busy. And toss in some random photo shoots on the weekends and weekday nights in there too for good measure to add to the confusion.
With all of ^^ that, how do we actually "do" a day (or week) in the life of a Mooney? Well, it takes a LOT of scheduling, a LOT of communication, a LOT of flexibility and a LOT of coordination. Oh, and always knowing what day it is and who's going where! Mike and I have a shared iCloud calendar that is our go-to for any and all family events: when someone's off, if we have dinner plans, a birthday party, or another event. We both always check the calendar first before scheduling anything.
So! Let's take a typical weekday with Patrick at school -- Monday or Friday:
Well friends, for the first time in his 10 years of policing, his schedule has changed. And it changed about a month or so ago (I *think* I've talked about or alluded to this in previous posts?! Maybe?! Maybe not?!! I can't remember. #babybrain).
Anyways, I thought I'd take a wittle bit and talk about his new schedule, how it's working for our current family of 4 (soon to be 5!), challenges, successes, what is working, and what isn't. Exciting stuff, isn't it?!! I'm sure you're rolling your #dontcare eyes and exiting out of your browser window right now.
But! If you are still here to read my ramblings, THANK YOU! I always find it interesting looking at other families' schedules and how they do things, so maybe someone out there is interested in ours too?! Especially since we have kind of a unique set up.
Here's a glimpse into a recent month's schedule...I actually have an online schedule link (thank you Google slides) that I sent out to our babysitters with the dates/times we need sitters for and who's claimed dibs on them. Before, this rotated every 3 weeks with Mike working 7a-3p and 3p-11p with some random weekdays off. Now, since he works permanent 11p-7a, we really don't need anyone to watch the kids. However, we still do, because, alas is life, things come up!
So! The gist of our schedule: I work Monday through Friday 7:30am - 3:30pm from the beginning of August until the beginning of June...with some random half days or late starts or days off thrown in there (or as is coming at the end of January, a 12-wee maternity leave). Mike works 11p-7a all year long with 3 weeks of vacation that he picks. His days off vary -- he usually has one to two weekends off a month...some of his days off are 2 days, 3 days, or 4 days, just all depends on the rotation of the schedule. Patrick goes to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7am - 3:30pm -- I drop him off on my way to work and pick him up on my way home. Rosie has a standing Wednesday date every week with NeeNee so she's there from 7am - 4pm on Wednesdays. Follow all of that?!! We be busy. And toss in some random photo shoots on the weekends and weekday nights in there too for good measure to add to the confusion.
With all of ^^ that, how do we actually "do" a day (or week) in the life of a Mooney? Well, it takes a LOT of scheduling, a LOT of communication, a LOT of flexibility and a LOT of coordination. Oh, and always knowing what day it is and who's going where! Mike and I have a shared iCloud calendar that is our go-to for any and all family events: when someone's off, if we have dinner plans, a birthday party, or another event. We both always check the calendar first before scheduling anything.
So! Let's take a typical weekday with Patrick at school -- Monday or Friday:
- I wake up about 6:30am get all of my stuff together, give Patrick his iPad about 6:50am and a 10-minute warning to wake up...Ro is still snoozing.
- A little after 7am I get Patrick up, dressed, teeth brushed
- About 7:15am Mike walks in the door and we literally high-five as he's walking in and I'm walking out to take Patrick to school/go to work myself
- Mike lays down about 7:30am to take an hour or two nap until Rosie wakes up
- I drop Patrick off at 7:30am and head to school until it's time for pickup at 3:30pm
- 9am Rosie wakes up and Mike gets up, they eat, play, go to the park, whatever
- 12:15pm Mike feeds Rosie and himself, puts her down for a nap, he goes down "for the night"
- 3:45pm I get home with Patrick and if Rosie's awake get her up, if not let her sleep until she wakes up
- 4pm both kids are up and having snacks
- 4:30pm we play inside or head to the park or dinner or somewhere to let Mike sleep
- 6-7pm we get home or make enough noise to wake Mike up and he gets up in time to play with the kids for a bit before baths and bedtime
- 8pm kids go to bed, Mike and I chat and catch up on the day
- 9-10:30pm Mike heads into work...usually early. He doesn't have to be there until 11pm but likes to go in early to get caught up on reports or whatever else he needs to do...I go to sleep...or try to. It's an adjustment for me too sleeping solo and trying not to let my mind wander what Mike is up to while I'm lying in bed. Also! Scooter has good days and bad: sometimes getting out of bed wanting to be taken out to pee FOUR or FIVE times a night...so that sucks since it's all on me. I swear that dog is worse than a newborn sometimes.
Wednesdays are different because Patrick is at school and Rosie is at my mom's, so once Mike gets home at 7:15am he is alone and can go to sleep immediately and not have to care for any kids and/or wait until they go down for naps. Wednesdays are the best days for us to schedule a family dinner or meet someone for dinner because all of us can be in attendance!
Tuesdays and Thursdays are chaotic for Mike -- he gets home at 7:15am and then has BOTH kids...pretty much the same schedule as above just with Patrick home and not at school. Patrick doesn't nap anymore, so on Tuesday/Thursdays when he's home and it's "nap" time Patrick gets that time to play quietly in his room and/or watch his iPad. Knock on wood this way is working thus far.
When Mike is off, he sort of reverts back to a normal 'sleep at night up during the day' schedule. He may still go to sleep during nap time, but that's just for a nap and not a "full night" of sleep like he does the nights he works. I'd say he gets maybe 5-7 hours of sleep at a time, with an hour or two nap at another time in there everyday. This is probably the hardest thing for him is adjusting to the sleep schedule, which I try and let him get as much sleep as he can when I'm home with the kids...so letting him snooze and taking the kids out or to play or something so Mike can siesta the day away so he can be alert and awake at night.
And sometimes Mike gets caught up and doesn't get home until wayyyy after 7am. Or gets called in and has to go in at 6pm. So this is where the flexibility comes in, because when this happens we have to make alternate plans. I have to go in late or find someone to come over and/or take Patrick to school. Our evening plans might change because Mike got off super late in the morning and needs more sleep or gets called in early and can't do dinner. And you know what? It's fine. We roll with it because this is the law enforcement family life we lead.
And sometimes Mike gets caught up and doesn't get home until wayyyy after 7am. Or gets called in and has to go in at 6pm. So this is where the flexibility comes in, because when this happens we have to make alternate plans. I have to go in late or find someone to come over and/or take Patrick to school. Our evening plans might change because Mike got off super late in the morning and needs more sleep or gets called in early and can't do dinner. And you know what? It's fine. We roll with it because this is the law enforcement family life we lead.
Knock on wood, so far this schedule seems to be working. There are days mixed in there that Mike has training or something during the day where we'd need someone to watch one/both kids all day...and those days come up and we find someone for that! But for most days, the ones watching the kids are Mike and myself. This schedule will probably be ideal in a few years when the kids are all in school and Mike can do breakfast in the morning, school drop off, go to sleep, and then be up in the afternoons and evenings for sports or other school events. But, until that happens, we make it work this way for now.
Everyone asks if I'm going to stop working once #3 comes and stay home. Nope! I'll still be working! It may be a little chaotic for a few weeks in April and May juggling 3 kids with Mike's schedule and what not, but come August Patrick will be in 5 full days of preschool, so Mike will just have 2 kiddos again to deal with during the day (yes, a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old then). We have been tossing around the idea of putting Rosie in a day or two of pre-preschool next year too, but we haven't solidified that yet or not.
Things always have a way of working themselves out...sometimes it just takes some time! Thus far, his new schedule IS working out for us and I hope it continues! As we add to our family and new events and things come up, we will work them into the schedule and hopefully it'll continue to work out and 'work' in our favor. If not, we can always make a change! Nothing is ever permanent, schedule included. So! There's your inquiring mind's little insight into the Mooney fam-bam's new schedule! Exciting stuff, isn't it?!
