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
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Why Rest and Relaxation is Important for Police Wives
First responder spouses are some of the most strong and independent people I know. But sometimes what that means is we take on more than we can chew. And yes, I am speaking from experience. We all have those tired days or weeks so here is a reminder on why rest and relaxation for you and police wives is important. Tips to Insure Rest and Relaxation for Police Wives Be okay with pumping the breaks a bit. I am completely guilty of taking on more than I should. We have to be okay with slowing down our schedules or else nothing will change. You have the control to do that. Be Click for more
How to Make Mental Wellness a Priority for Law Enforcement Spouses
This episode is brought to you by Charliemadison Originals. Charliemadison Originals is a military spouse-owned and operated small business that supports all first responders. They create meaningful everyday jewelry that keeps you connected to your first-responder hero and reminds you of those you cherish most. This is a topic that is really real and raw for me. A lot of emphasis as spouses is put on mental health for the officer in our life (and understandbly so) but what we don't always recognize is that we need to check on ourselves as well. As Click for more
Tips on Parenting While Your Spouse Works Night Shift
This episode is brought to you by Arrest My Vest. Arrest my Vest provides odor-eliminating spray for vests, tactical gear, boots and more by eliminating odors on contact. Check out Arrest My Vest here and use code THANKYOU (all one word) for 15% off your purchase. Navigating night shift with kids can absolutely feel stressful, you are not alone there. My husband and I have 3 children and we've been through the newborn phase, toddler phase and now our kids are in elementary school. There are hard parts and easy parts about each of those phases of parenting. Trying to Click for more
How to Stay a Positive Police Spouse when it Feels like the World is Against Police Officers
In all my years as a police wife (13 to be exact), I have never struggled and seen other police spouses struggle as much as we are this year. We know support for law enforcement exists, but some days all we see or feel are those who are against police. It can feel like everyone hates them when in reality the bad people and horrible events are just drowning out the good. During such challenging times, I think a few things are important to remember. First, we have to focus on what we can control. If we are letting the negativity of the world control us and our emotions then we are Click for more
Mental fitness for police wives
This post is going to be super real and raw for me. As a police wife of 13 years, I know the mental trampoline our minds go through because of this lifestyle. Because of our spouse's jobs we often have a mix of emotions: happy, sad, proud, worried, fearful, stressed, tired, overwhelmed; maybe even all at once- sound familiar? You may not experience these emotions all the time, but you may feel mentally spread thin because your emotions change constantly. We often put the weight of what our officer's go through on our shoulders. We also carry the weight of stress Click for more
7 holiday traditions that make law enforcement life a bit easier
We all live the realization that being married to a police officer means we don't exactly live a traditional, 9-5 lifestyle. So scheduling can be less than ideal, especially when trying to create holiday traditions as a law enforcement family. I remember our first married year as husband and wife and having to plan Christmas with all our loved ones. Gosh, was it not enjoyable, to say the least. It felt as if no one understood our "open pockets of time" for celebrating. Some days we would only have a few hours in the morning to celebrate or in the evening, so it never seemed to jive with Click for more
How to Reset After a Crazy Week of Police Wife Life
You are a wife, maybe a mom, the maid, the chef, mrs. fix-it, the shopper, the planner, the budgeter, the chauffeur. Sound familiar? As police wives, we take on a lot. At times, things run smoothly and other times we feel like we can not juggle one more thing or we may snap. Schedules are constantly changing within your family and, at times, we refer to our weeks as our husband's "short week" or "long week" depending on how many days he works in a row. We often dread the "long weeks" and look forward to the "short weeks" so we can hopefully feel caught up on life. It is so Click for more
Your First Year of “Solo” Parenting as a Police Wife: What to Expect
I recently wrote about ways to rock "solo" parenting as a police wife. Having kids, especially young ones, while living the law enforcement life can be difficult, no doubt. But after posting this article, I kept thinking about the police wife that is just entering this lifestyle maybe after a career change or the police wife that has a new baby. The first year is by far the hardest. The ones that truly need the most help are not the veterans or seasoned wives, it is the newer wives when it comes to parenting. The "unknown" is what makes this life hard to navigate. As a newer police wife or Click for more
Thank a Police Officer- FREE Police Week/ Police Appreciation Printables for Kids
As a mother of three and former Kindergarten teacher, I always love to find ways to include the kids in whatever celebration or event we are having. And that usually involves some sort of craft or kid-friendly activity. Whether it is a police appreciation day throughout the year, during Police Week or just to say thank you these free printables are a great way for kids to get involved, show appreciation towards law enforcement, and maybe spread some cheer to either a parent in law enforcement or first responders in your community. So when I made these for my kids this week, they were Click for more