Is this too many hours to work?

[Anonymous]

I currently work 50 hour weeks, Mon-Fri from 7-5. I have been offered a position that I would love to take but wonder if its too much. This will be a night position, Sun -Fri, 9pm - 6am. It will only be 2-3 weeks. The downside is they don't want the nanny to sleep. Upside, be making a large sum of money.

Would you do it? I'm worried about be lack of sleep ( 2-3 hours during weekdays). I don't want to jeopardize my main family but I could really use the money. What would you do. List the reason as to why?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand, why don't they want you to sleep?

[Anonymous]

if you could sleep I'd say go for it. But lack of sleep is dangerous for driving (it's literally like driving drunk) plus if affects your thinking an judgement, makes you more susceptible to getting sick and just plain old cranky. Messing with your circadian clock is risky...how on earth will you stay awake Friay night after working all day. Don't underestimate how hard that is. I've worked graveyard shifts three times in my life, all in my 20s and even when you're used to it, it's HARD HARD HARD. Everything is dark and quiet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand, why don't they want you to sleep?

Between the feelings and changings, I will be organizing the nursery, washing bottles, ligh housekeeping, and babies laundry.

[Anonymous]

So in other words, I will be working Monday - Fri, my regular 7-5, go home (eating/sleeping 2 hours), then back at work from 9-6. From that job I will go to my regular one.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever worked a night shift before? Have you ever had to stay up for MANY hours at a time? Do you honestly think that it is wise or safe to care for children at all on maybe 2 hours of sleep a day?
This is a horrible plan all around, you and both sets of parents are nuts if anyone thinks this will work.

Aside from the obvious issues, were I your primary employer and I found out you were jeopardizing my children's safety to make some extra money on the side, you would be out of a job.

[Anonymous]

I would negotiate with them on the sleeping aspect. If they want you, they may give in. Agree to cleaning bottles, and folding baby laundry, but no more. You will rest with the monitor nearby with any extra time. Its only 2-3 weekends, so not a huge deal to me. I did plenty of weekends in college with less sleep. You will survive. Don't tell your primary job about it, in case they are like 13:18. Its not their business what you do on your off time, as long as you're there to do your job when you're supposed to be.

[Anonymous]

As your MB I would be hugely pissed if you took this job since there is no way you can function at your FT job after more than 1 night if this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As your MB I would be hugely pissed if you took this job since there is no way you can function at your FT job after more than 1 night if this.

+1 seriously. That is insane.

[Anonymous]

it's insane either way, but I'm reading this as a weekday position- OP says sun - thurs.

Generally I'd agree that your off time is your business, but this so clearly compromised your ability to safely do your day job, I think reasonable employers could be very upset.

[Anonymous]

This has to be a troll. If not, it is pretty frightening that someone with no common sense or judgement is a nanny. Scary to think that anyone would believe they can care for children safely on such little sleep.

[Anonymous]

If you were my nanny and I found out you were only getting 2 hours of sleep a day and were coming to take care if my children on such little sleep and after just working 9 hrs at another job youd be fired immediately. No severance and no letter of recommendation.

[Anonymous]

No way!! You can not seriously think it would be ok to be taking care of children only getting 2 hours of sleep 5 days in a row. I'm generally a pretty easy going MB and usually don't agree with most of the MBs on here but if I found out you were doing this while taking care of my children you'd be out of a job immediately and I would definitely not recommend you to anyone else. Besides being unsafe it shows a serious lack of judgment!

[Anonymous]

The fact that you are thinking this could actually work shows a total lack of judgement and intelligence. You have no business taking care of children.

[Anonymous]

Oh please. How many lawyers on here have never worked super long hours? Young people go out on the weekends, so I work 9 hours on Friday, go out at 10, get home at 5, sleep until 9, and sometimes head into work on Saturday. Its for 2 or 3 weekends. She will be fine, and you all are melodramatic.