When the Kids Go to Sleep, I Get to Work: One Dad’s Unconventional Rhythm

When the Kids Go to Sleep, I Get to Work: One Dad’s Unconventional Rhythm

The house is quiet. The kind of quiet that only shows up after bedtime routines have been conquered—after the pajamas, the stories, the bathroom runs, and the final cups of water have all had their moment. It’s the kind of quiet where the floors creak louder, and even the hum of the fridge feels like a drumbeat.

That’s when my day starts.

For most of the world, nighttime means winding down. For me, it’s clocking in. And not because I want to—but because I need to. Because I chose to. Because this rhythm works better for the life I want to lead, and the family I want to lead it with.

Why I Left the Day Shift Behind

I used to work during the day. I used to wake up early, rush into the stress, and try to carve out moments of productivity in a house that never stopped moving. Even with an office door shut, I could hear everything: crying kids, overwhelmed wife, the buzz of needs pressing through walls. And when I didn’t have an office? That was worse. Every ten minutes, someone would wander in needing something—which, to be fair, is just what little kids do when their dad is in the same room.

But starting and stopping, and starting again? It broke my focus. And worse than that, it created tension. In me. In my marriage. In the house. I hated feeling annoyed with the people I loved most. I hated feeling like my work was at war with my family. That’s not how I wanted to live.

The Shift That Changed Everything

Then, about two years ago, everything changed. God opened the door for me to shift into working at night—first through employment, then through my own business. It wasn't glamorous. It meant starting at 6PM or 8PM some nights and pushing deep into the midnight hours. But what it gave us? Peace.

During the day, I could be there. Really there. When the kids needed help or hugs or just someone to watch them jump off the couch, I could be there. When my wife needed backup, I wasn’t buried in deadlines. I could handle errands, house tasks, emotional support—all of it. And then, when the house was finally still, I could turn the switch and get to work.

Showing Up After the Sun Goes Down

It’s not always easy. There are nights when the day was so full I barely have anything left in the tank. But I still show up. Because showing up matters. Because building a life that works for my family means sacrifice—and this sacrifice is one I gladly make.

There’s this quiet magic that happens when you work at night. You’re not missing anything. You're not choosing hustle over presence. You’re moving forward after everyone else has been loved and cared for. And something about that order feels right to me. It reflects the same rhythm I try to live by: faith first, then self-care, then family, then finances, then passion.

Living the Five Pillars in Real Time

That order keeps me anchored. It reminds me that I don’t have to grind every minute of the day to prove something. I don’t have to ignore my kids in the name of success. I don’t have to burn my marriage to build my business. I can trust the order. I can trust that when I honor the pillars in the right sequence, the rest will come together.

Is it perfect? No. I still wrestle with pressure. When my wife starts her work shift after the school drop-off, I sometimes sit there thinking, "Shouldn’t I be doing more right now?" But the truth is, our system works. Our rhythms are different than most. That doesn’t make them broken. That makes them ours.

The Margin That Matters Most

One of my favorite moments from this past week? Sitting in bed with my two oldest kids, watching Jumanji. No agenda. No distractions. Just being there while they fell asleep, snuggled up beside me. That moment wouldn’t have happened if I were glued to a day job. It happened because I had the margin.

Sometimes the only way to find that margin is to flip the script entirely. For me, that meant moving my work to the hours most people reserve for Netflix. And oddly enough, it’s become something I love. The stillness. The focus. The sense that I’m building something for us while they sleep peacefully in the next room.

If You’re a Dad Feeling the Strain…

If you're a dad feeling like there's no time for your kids and no energy left for work, maybe it's time to reevaluate. Maybe it’s time to explore a different rhythm. You might not have to quit everything or move mountains. But you might need to reorder your day. Ask hard questions. And if the door opens to work differently—take it.

I know this isn’t possible for everyone. Some jobs don’t flex like that. Some seasons won’t allow it. But if you do get the chance to adjust? If you do get the opportunity to prioritize presence without sacrificing provision? Don’t overlook it.

A New Kind of Alignment

For me, this rhythm wasn’t just about work. It was about alignment. About learning how to lead from a place of peace instead of pressure. About becoming the kind of dad who can say yes during the day because he already said yes to the build that night.

This is what the Five Pillars Alignment Course is all about—living and leading from the right order. And soon, I’ll be releasing a brand-new Brand Building Course designed to help dads like you step out of the 9-to-5 hamster wheel and into work that fuels your family, not fights it.

One Shift Can Change Everything

You don’t have to settle for burnout.
You don’t have to miss everything that matters.
Sometimes, all it takes is one shift.

One new rhythm.

And the willingness to begin when the world goes quiet.