Shift work has increasingly become a studied topic due to its threat to the physical health and mental well-being of shift workers. Firefighter shift work comprises long hours often combined with irregular calendar day patterns. Studies have shown that shift work increases stress, depression, anxiety, and relational problems.
Firefighter shifts have been a topic of conversation for years. Shift work is considered a nonstandard schedule and is often regarded as undesirable for parents due to reasons such as childcare, school schedules, etc. (1. Kim, 2022). It is common, especially in busier departments, for firefighters to lose sleep time during their shifts. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest concerns that shift work brings.
Sleep deprivation, as we know, entails mental and physical implications and can lead to irritability and cognitive impairment (2. Nowak & Lukomska, 2021), reducing performance. The firefighter’s job is stressful, the hours are long, and the schedule is typically inflexible, making it difficult for families.
For firefighters, sleep deprivation eventually becomes routine, affecting health, mood, and overall well-being. How shift work affects a firefighter’s ability to parent is a newer concept that warrants more attention.
The demands of the firefighter’s job create substantial incompatibilities between work and family as parents want to experience their children’s milestones and important family events. Thus, the lack of scheduling flexibility, time spent away from home, and chronic sleep deprivation make parenting a potentially difficult experience for firefighters.
These incompatibilities manufacture heightened stress for parents, affecting their parenting behaviors, and making positive or mindful parenting difficult (3. Moreira, et al., 2019). Firefighters become accustomed to sleep deprivation, and some adjust where possible to make up for lost or inconsistent sleep. These shift work realities (sleep deprivation, cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, relational problems, etc.) have been linked to negative interactions between parents and children (4. Costigan, et al., 2003).
Stressful working conditions are associated with lower mental health of both the parent and the child as the parent/child interactions tend to be negative and less patient, causing outbursts and relational stress (Perry-Jenkins et al., 2017).
One study found that “Parents with a shift work schedule, working full-time and 40 hours or more per week, presented significantly higher levels of work-family conflict than those with a fixed or flexible schedule” (Moreira, et al., 2019).
Firefighters typically work at least 48 hours per week, often much more. Stress, cognitive impairment, irritability, and health concerns all greatly affect a person’s ability to parent. For this reason, firefighters must be aware of the limitations placed on them as shift workers. Still, they must also engage in mindfulness to nurture familial relationships, especially that of parent/child.
Five career firefighters/parents working in a busy metropolitan fire department in the Midwest were asked about their experiences in both roles. Remarkably, all five reported the following difficulties of shift work and its effects on parenting:
- Missing developmental milestones and events.
- Having to be a parent in the middle of sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion.
- Having to reintroduce themselves back into the family after being away for a minimum of 24 hours.
- Coming home to children after being away and having to be “caught up to speed” about the comings and goings of their family while they were at work.
- Feelings of “not being in the loop.”
- Feelings of guilt for not being able to participate in important events (sports games, choir performances, etc.).
Several of the firefighters polled mentioned that mindfulness in parenting is even more critical for firefighters.
What is mindful parenting? Applying mindfulness and intentionality to parenting is an approach thought to bring “…non-judgmental, compassionate, and present-centered awareness into parent-child interactions” (5. Moreira, et al., 2019).
Mindful parenting posits that parents should be in the present moment and emotionally available to meet their children’s needs through connection. Mindful parenting discourages distractions as they risk the mindful and present connection between parent and child. This involves setting time aside for just parent/child engagement. During this time, distractions should be avoided, and focus should be on the child and the child’s experience. Remaining calm and without judgment allows a parent to listen to the child and observe nonverbal cues to how the child is feeling. Then, reacting in a calm, understanding way shows the child that the parent is hearing them and is receptive to their needs.
The shift work schedule utilized by the fire service is not likely to change drastically anytime soon. How can firefighters specifically employ mindful parenting practices?
One firefighter mentioned that he routinely takes a brief nap upon re-entry into his home to recoup at least a little bit of lost sleep. Then, he sets aside specific time to engage with his children where they have his full attention.
Another firefighter spoke of his practice of video conferencing with each of his children individually while he is at the fire station, every shift. He does this to lessen the re-entry stress when he returns home and to make his children feel that he is thinking of them while he is away. He also mentioned that he takes a moment upon return to his family to get a briefing on what he missed while he was away.
A third firefighter plans specific family days where all members of her family are together and can do something they all enjoy. These are all examples of being intentional concerning parenting.
Firefighters who work second jobs may struggle to find the time for a mindful parenting approach. With these individuals, it is most important to schedule specific parenting time with their children. This may look as simple as a school lunch date or a special after-school pick-up for the parent to spend time communicating and sharing space with the child.
Another option is simply placing thoughtful notes into school lunch boxes or taking the time in some way to let the child know that the parent thinks about them even while they are away or indisposed.
Sometimes, something as elementary as just asking the child what they wish their parent would do to make them feel loved and understood can supply the parent with all of the information that they need to begin mindful parenting.
Additionally, all of the firefighters who were polled mentioned the support and flexibility of their spouse or significant other is critical. The learning curve that new parents go through is heightened in fire families as they navigate the schedule and incorporate children into it. The familial relationships may feel like that of a pendulum as many firefighters spend a lot of concentrated time with family and then spend a lot of concentrated time away from family.
Being intentional about family and parent/child interactions is essential for fire families as they navigate the yo-yo of much time away and much time together, the nature of the firefighter shift schedule. A best practice for strengthening partner relationships which will foster the parent/child relationship is marriage and family therapy. Getting established with therapeutic services to assist with the well-being of family relationships is thankfully becoming more mainstream and is often a necessary tool and provides a path to success.
Firefighters utilize mindful and intentional practices in their work as stewards of public safety. The carryover of these practices into the parenting relationship can articulate a meaningful and healthy relationship between parent and child. Firefighters are resourceful and practical and strive to solve problems. These attributes all lay an excellent foundation for engagement in mindful parenting practices. Despite the inevitable setbacks of being a shift worker, firefighters are inherently equipped through their on-the-job experience and training to handle the intricacies of parenting -with a little bit of mindfulness.
References
- Kim, M. (2022). Who works nonstandard schedules voluntarily? The role of having children. Journal of Family Studies, 28(3), 950–967.
- Nowak, K., & Łukomska, B. (2021). The impact of shift work on the well-being and subjective levels of alertness and sleepiness in firefighters and rescue service workers. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics: JOSE, 27(4), 1056–1063.
- Moreira, H., Fonseca, A., Caiado, B., & Canavarro, M. C. (2019). Work-Family Conflict and Mindful Parenting: The Mediating Role of Parental Psychopathology Symptoms and Parenting Stress in a Sample of Portuguese Employed Parents. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 635.
- Costigan, C. L., Cox, M. J., and Cauce, A. M. (2003). Work-parenting linkages among dual-earner couples at the transition to parenthood. J. Fam. Psychol. 17, 397–408.
- Perry-Jenkins, M., Goldberg, A. E., Pierce, C. P., & Sayer, A. G. (2007). Shift Work, Role Overload, and the Transition to Parenthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(1), 123–138.
BIO
Dr. Keeley Stewart is a Counselor Educator/Professor at Lindsey Wilson College’s School of Professional Counseling in Columbia, Kentucky. Keeley has been working in higher education for over 9 years and specializes in adult learning, course design, and implementation, as well as student enrollment and retention. Her expertise, ongoing research, and presentations related to firefighter mental health continue to encourage the growth of mental health awareness within the fire service.
