How can my son practice drums when my night-shift sleep overlaps his free time?
Parenting"You bought the drums and then banned the only time I'm home." My eleven-year-old had his sticks in his hands when I came out of the bedroom.
I work nights twice a week and sleep from late morning into the afternoon. He wants to practice after school, before football or dinner. We live in a small house; closing a door doesn't keep the practice out of my room. I had approved the secondhand kit because I wanted him to have an interest that wasn't another screen.
At first I asked for quiet on my workdays. That has grown into asking him not to play whenever I'm tired, including some weekends. He says he can't work out which days are allowed. He is right that I haven't written them down.
His teacher has mentioned quieter practice options, but we haven't discussed what he could work on that way or what would cost money. How would you divide practice time and sleep time without leaving him with an instrument he is continually told to admire silently?