Impact of Shift-Based Jobs and Irregular Working Hours on Children’s Routine and Mental Well-Being

This study examines the socio-emotional and behavioural ramifications of parental nonstandard work schedule specifically night shifts and highly irregular working hours on children aged 6 to 15. Employing a quantitative survey design with a sample of 100 families, the respondents were stratified into four distinct operational employment categories: Standard Daytime Shift, Permanent Night Shift, Rotating Shift, and Irregular/On-Call Hours. The paper assesses the specific pathways through which these nonstandard work hours disrupt fundamental family systems, diurnal child routines (sleep, meal structures, and academic monitoring), and overall juvenile mental well-being. The empirical findings reveal major variations across groups, with the highest levels of routine disruption and paediatric anxiety occurring within the Permanent Night Shift and Rotating Shift cohorts. The paper concludes a parental employment involving shift-based or irregular working hour significantly destabilizes a child's routine and places their mental well-being at risk. While non-standard work hours are often unavoidable in modern economies, their indirect toll on family dynamics and child development is substantial.