This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you. I am part of the Amazon associates program where I earn commission if you make a purchase after clicking my links. Do you get stumped every Father's Day wondering what to give as a gift? This gift guide for police officers and tactical type of guys is full of options that you have probably never heard of. This is a list of items we own and actually have used with the exception of the grilling cutting board. Plus, items are within a variety of budgets. Father's Day Gift Guide for Police Officers + Tactical Click for more
The Benefits of Banking with National Police Credit Union for Police and their Families
This blog post is brought to you by National Police Credit Union, a full-service financial institution specializing in products and services for law enforcement and their families since 1938. You can learn more about becoming a member by going to their website at https://nationalpolicecu.com/ If you are reading this then you are more than likely a police spouse, family member or maybe even an officer yourself. And I think we can agree that law enforcement officers and their families make huge sacrifices daily. Not only that, but police officers take great responsibility to help and Click for more
Life After a Critical Incident and Making Sure Policing Is NOT Your Identity
When you or your loved one experiences a critical incident on the job, it can create more than just physical pain. It can be a time of mental anguish, stress, high emotions, financial burdens and more. Today's episode features former police officer, Kelsey Wilson, who experienced two injuries one year apart. The second injury, sadly, ended her career abruptly with lasting damage to her hand and trigger finger. Kelsey recounts her critical incident, her injuries and what she still endures to this day. She also opens up and shares her struggles mentally with having to leave a Click for more
The Best Real Estate Program that Gives Back to First Responders and Military
This is a sponsored blog post on behalf of Honor the Brave. All opinions are honest and my own. If you are planning on buying or selling your home anytime in the foreseeable future, keep reading! Picture this: you are a first responder or military family, you are buying and/or selling your home, and get money back at the end of your transaction just for your service! That's exactly what co-owner of Honor the Brave, Zanna Wolfgang, shared with us on Episode 41 of podcast. Zanna and her husband Jeff Wolfgang, former police officer, started Honor the Brave several years ago as a way Click for more
Ways to Fuel Your Body for Shift Work & How This Helps Shift Work Families
Can shift workers like cops eat healthy? And what about shift work families who may be on a different schedule than their loved one? Of course they can and today we are talking about ways to fuel your body despite shift work. I can't tell you how many people just think cops eat donuts and drink energy drinks all day. The amount of comments and messages I get from people about this is kinda insane actually. And today on the podcast I talked with Raina, who is a shift work dietitian and she said while it is a stereotype, often in the middle of the night, the only places open for night Click for more
TOP 10 WAYS TO KNOW SHE’S A POLICE WIFE
As a police wife, we don't have a badge. We don't make arrests and drive a cop car. But we are an integral part of the police life. We hold things together when our spouse is too tired. We are the glue behind the lights and sirens at home. We are one of the only constants in this fast pace, overwhelming career. We are friends, wives, counselors, mothers, and so much more. Here are some common things you may be able to relate to as a police wife. Here are the top 10 ways to know she is a police wife: 1. She isn't afraid to spend nights alone. Let's face it, it is going to Click for more
Celebrate National Telecommunicator’s Week
Telecommunicators or dispatchers are truly the unsung heroes of our nation. Telecommunicators may be behind the scenes but they are the calm to the crazy of our world. They are one of the first to talk to victims or those injured, they keep first responders like police or fire informed, all while handling multiple calls at one time with calm in their voice. Honestly, I could not do it! I applaud all of the 9-1-1 dispatchers for their amazing work because they are the GLUE that holds emergencies together. You can applaud them, too! April 9-15th, 2023 is National Public Safety Click for more
Here’s What We Did “Sign Up For” as a Law Enforcement Family
As a law enforcement family, I'm sure you've heard those words: "you signed up for this" in regards to the job. Those words are hurtful, untrue in MANY aspects, lack empathy, and truly show just how misunderstood this job {and the impact it has on officers and families} is. Let me start off by saying this: this "job" is so much more than a job. It is a lifestyle that impacts an officer's life mentally, emotionally and physically and their families lives. The job does not end when an officer clocks off shift. Everything they see and experience stays with them for hours, days, weeks after Click for more
49 Things No One Ever Tells You About Being Married to a Police Officer
I was super naive when my husband went into law enforcement and I truly did not know what to expect. I wish I had that one friend that could pull me aside and let me know the ups and downs. Maybe it would have saved us some fights, maybe I would have been less surprised or confused some days, and maybe it could have helped prepare me a bit more. But one thing I have learned is that this lifestyle is full of MANY positives and not all negatives despite what you may hear. Wouldn't it have been nice to know that? So I polled my amazingly wonderful Instagram audience who also happen to be Click for more
Finding Yourself Through LEOW Life and Motherhood
Both motherhood and being married to a police officer come with there own unique set of challenges. But when you are trying to navigate and balance both, at the same time, it is easy to feel like you get lost within those struggles. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Jillian from Beauty Sleep and Babies about her experiences as a new mom and fellow police wife. She was incredibly open about her journey of needing to find herself again because both LEOW life (law enforcement officer wife life) and motherhood took so much out of her. Jillian shared that it was definitely Click for more
The Best Way to Get FREE Resources for Police Spouses and Significant Others
Looking for free resources for police spouses? I've got you covered. For years, myself and fellow police spouses looked for resources to help navigate this lifestyle. And while I did create my blog, Proud Police Wife, as one of those resources nearly 7 years ago, I wanted to bring this community more. I wanted one, easy to access, jam-packed resource FULL of experts for law enforcement families. Here were the other caveats. It needed to be online, easily accessible around your work and life, and not cost you loads of money. That's when the Annual Police Wife Conference was Click for more
Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Law Enforcement Couples
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Arrest My Vest. All opinions are honest and my own. For law enforcement couples, we may not be able to celebrate Valentine's Day on the actual day. Maybe it is the day before or day after and it may be in a non-conventional way, and that's okay! Celebrating on a different day can be rather nice. You don't have to deal with crazy dinner reservations or wait hours for take out. It's just another day celebrating your love. This is a quick Valentine's Day Gift Guide created with law enforcement couples in mind, from law enforcement related gift ideas Click for more
Real Solutions for Managing Health and Fitness for Law Enforcement
Police officers today face enormous pressure, stress and job related trauma. While they may not be able to control those aspects of the job, what they can control is their health and fitness. Sadly, police officers face alarming health related issues because of this stress. So it is imperative that they take proactive measures to be healthy and fit early on in their career or as soon as they can. Constant drive-thrus, bang energy drinks and binge eating after shift all contribute to future health related issues. In today's episode, former police officer, author, fitness expert, and Click for more
WHY GOD MADE STRONG WOMEN POLICE WIVES
Gosh, this couldn't be more true. Police Wives are seriously, without a doubt, some of the strongest women I have ever met. WHY? God just knew. He knew when he created you. He knew just by looking at YOU, that YOU could handle this life. He knew you were strong, inside and out. You were made for this. He knew that you were resilient. He knew you were a fighter. He knew you were unselfish. He knew you were brave. God made you strong so you could handle all the curve-balls associated with this life. You are strong because you constantly fight back tears even when you are in Click for more
3 Ways to Cultivate Prayer Habits for Police Wives
This is a guest post by author and fellow police wife, JJ Gutierrez. The police wife’s life is a lot like a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs. Some days life is good. Your LEO is home on time all week, his re-entry from his shift to home life is smooth and your relationship is experiencing closeness and connection. Then, there are other days, when life is hard and challenging. Unexpected over-time, the pressure of raising kids and making family decisions alone and dealing with his “less than pleasant” attitude can leave you feeling frustrated and resentful. How can wives manage Click for more
4 Ways to Prepare for Emergencies as a Law Enforcement Family
Today's episode and blog post are brought to you by Pictures on Gold. Pictures on Gold offers high quality jewelry including a police and firefighter collection with badge necklaces, earrings and more. Use code PROUDPOLICEWIFE for $10 off and shop here. We know all too well the dangers that exist in life in general, but those dangers also exist with careers in law enforcement. And I know it can be depressing to think of those dangers. For some you, you may just brush them off and ignore them. I get it. But in reality, it's important to be prepared for any emergencies that can happen Click for more
Free and Easy Ways to Show Support for Law Enforcement
Every year on January 9th, we honor and give support to our nation's law enforcement for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. This is an amazing way for people to come together and share their appreciation for police. However, you don't always need a special day in which to do so. You can show appreciation to law enforcement every day, all throughout the year. As spouses it may be easy for us to come up with ways to show appreciation but for supporters it may not be. So today I want to share some FREE and EASY ways to show support for law enforcement. Free and Easy Ways to Show Click for more
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day- Ways to Show Appreciation and Celebrate
This post is based on a partnership with Oriental Trading. All opinions are honest and my own. National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on January 9th in the United States. It is a day for citizens to come together to show thanks, appreciation and support for our nations law enforcement. While you can (and should) show support to law enforcement all the time, it is nice having a dedicated day in which to do so. One of the most common questions I get asked is "how can I show support to law enforcement?" My answer is "it's not hard and doesn't need to be Click for more
Transitioning to Retirement for Law Enforcement with Jason Hoschouer
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. Whether your spouse is ready to retire or is questioning if it is time to leave law enforcement or not, it is important to know what the transition can look like and how to prepare. So in this episode we are talking about tips for transitioning to retirement for law enforcement officers and their families. Joining us in today's podcast 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
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
The #1 Buying/Selling Home Program for First Responders
This is a sponsored blog post on behalf of Honor the Brave. All opinions are honest and my own. If you are buying or selling a home any time soon and you are a first responder (or your spouse is) then why not save some money while doing it? The best buying/selling home program for first responders is Honor the Brave. They are a first responder owned family company that has a mission to give back to their first responder clients when buying or selling a home. My husband and I have personally used Honor the Brave to sell a home and again to purchase a home. They were amazing to work Click for more
5 Ways First Responder Families Can Save Money During the Holiday Season
This is a guest post by Heroes Financial Coaching. First responder families have enough to stress over, the holidays don't need to be one of them. Holidays are a wonderful time to gather with family and friends and celebrate together, whatever day that might happen for the first responder family. For many though, this time brings lots of stress, especially financial stress. Do you feel it? Paying for the cute Halloween costumes, the bags of candy and Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet but many of us are already trying to figure out how to afford Christmas presents without breaking the Click for more
3 Ways to Support Your Spouse After a Critical Incident or Trauma from the Job
Just because our loved ones are in law enforcement does not mean they will experience a critical incident. But, yes, it is a possibility. And sometimes trauma occurs to the department as a whole, a community or co-worker and that experience still leaves us (or your loved one) with a wound. And whether a critical incident has occurred for you, your spouse or your family or you just want to be mentally prepared now knowing that this possibility could happen the best you can do is find tools to be resilient. Taking action now and meeting someone where they are at after a critical Click for more
5 Boundaries Every Law Enforcement Family Needs From the Job
Today's episode is brought to you Blue Monarch Co. Blue Monarch is a police owned jewelry company that offers pieces for both men and women, sterling silver and subtle thin blue line pieces. Use code PROUDPOLICEWIFE for 40% off. Work phones ringing off the hook, overtime, working later than expected, always talking about the job, having plans canceled too frequently- sound familiar? While some of these things do happen to most law enforcement families from time to time, they don't need to happen all the time. Instead, your family needs boundaries from the job. It is Click for more
Another Amazon Prime Day is here: deals for law enforcement families
I am part of the Amazon affiliate program. As an Amazon associate I will earn a small commission from qualifying purchases if you click and purchase through my links. If you are an Amazon shopper (if not, no worries, keep scrolling) then guess what? Amazon is having a SECOND Prime Day October 11th-12th to gear up for the holidays. I never suggest spending just because something "seems like a good deal" but if you are shopping for holiday gifts or specific items and they happen to be on sale, then this is a great time to buy! You do have to be a PRIME member to shop these deals. If Click for more