Any critical incident in the law enforcement community, seems to hit close to home. Even if we don't know those immediately impacted, we feel a connection, in some way, to those hurting. And when someone in the law enforcement community is hurting we want to offer support and help in some way. If you do know those hurting, it can be a normal tendency to want to "fix" things or reach out right away to offer support. And while support is needed, there are some do's and don't's in regards to WHEN to give support. Joining us on today's episode is Rachael Flick. Rachael is the host of The Click for more
The Huge Holiday Gift Guide for Law Enforcement Families
This blog post contains some sponsored or affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through my links at no additional cost to you. Products listed are all ones we use, trust or recommend. If you have a law enforcement officer in your family or any hard-working, tactical-type person, then this holiday gift guide for law enforcement is your perfect place to get ideas from! My husband and I try to be pretty practical when it comes to gift giving, but some years I just get stumped. And I heard from many of you all LOUD and CLEAR- you get stumped, too. Click for more
7 Tips for Overcoming Police Wife Struggles
This is a sponsored guest post by Sunshyne Gray, a fellow police wife and licensed counselor and life coach. Being a law-enforcement wife for 23 years has undoubtedly presented challenges that I had no idea would exist in marriage. My friends didn’t seem to understand or experience some of the hard places I was finding in my police marriage. But police wife struggles are real and they are hard. I wish someone would have pulled me aside and explained why a police marriage endures challenges that non-police marriages don’t encounter. Understanding my husband‘s experience would’ve helped me be Click for more
Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Law Enforcement
Some links in this blog post are sponsored or affiliate links where I may receive a small commission if you purchase items through my link at no extra charge to you. I'll be honest, finding gifts for my husband around the holidays is not the easiest thing to do. We usually stick to one gift for each of us plus stocking stuffers. Stocking stuffers can actually get pretty pricey and I don't like to fill it with junk that he won't use. So finding gift ideas that are practical, fairly inexpensive, and ones that he will use are what I am always looking for. Here are some of the most Click for more
The Problem with Overtime for Law Enforcement Officers
This episode is brought to you by Pictures on Gold. Pictures on Gold offers personalized police and firefighter jewelry like badge necklaces, earrings and more. Use this link to shop and use code PROUDPOLICEWIFE for $10 off. One "perk" that many law enforcement families see to the job is getting overtime which equals more each month. We all know that law enforcement officers aren't paid their worth, so one way to offset that pay and bring in extra money each month is by working some overtime. Overtime for law enforcement is NOT always a bad thing but overtime can Click for more
Discussions to Have with Police Children About the Holidays
The holidays are almost here and while it can be an exciting time, it can also be a stressful time for police children. Many questions come up during this season from kids wondering why their holiday has to look a little different than their friends or other family members. In today's episode I share some discussions you can have with your kids to help minimize any confusion and validate their feelings. Here are Some Ways to Have Discussions with Police Children About the Holidays: Validate their feelings. First and foremost, let your children know that their feelings are Click for more
How to conquer the loneliness of police wife life
After my husband graduated the academy, I stared at him as he pressed his uniform before he began his first shift on the road. He looked so handsome and so excited to finally start his career in law enforcement. I was excited for him and could not have been more proud. After a few weeks though, the excitement settled and loneliness set in. I quickly realized that police wife life would leave me with a lot of time on my hands. We worked opposite schedules, you see. I worked as a teacher and was home around 5 p.m. My officer worked night shift and left for shift around 3 p.m. This meant that Click for more
How to talk to your kids about the holidays as a law enforcement family
Every year I feel like I am having the same conversation(s) with my kids regarding the holidays as a law enforcement family and their daddy's job. The first few years were the easiest, actually, because they were so little so they didn't notice any differences. But as they grow and see that our family celebrates at different times than people they know or at different times of the day, I get asked questions. We use this time as a family to help our children understand flexibility, patience and that the holidays mean making the most of our time with the people we love. As a parent of Click for more
The Police Spouse’s Emotional Guide for Navigating Christmas
In the 15 years that I have been a police spouse, my husband and I have had our fair share of holidays apart. Some years I adapted more easily than others. My first few years, when we were newly married, were some of the hardest. After that, once we had babies, was another hard season of navigating the holidays. It wasn't just the fact that he was working and I was home that made it hard. I was mentally tired of explaining to friends and family what our holiday plans were. I was tired of hearing the jokes "are you even married?" I longed to make our own traditions as a newly married couple Click for more
Why Christmas Magic May Look Different for a First Responder Family
We always hear how magical the Christmas season is and how it is the most joyous time of the year. Many people may even take time off and enjoy extended blocks of time off with friends and family. So many look forward to opening presents on Christmas morning with all of their family present, attending numerous family gatherings during the month of December, going out of town to see family, and so much more. But things usually look a bit different for first responder families. The reality is for first responder families, we can't always do what so many other families do across the Click for more