Law Enforcement families? - Page 3

[Valkyrie9]

I'm bored too. I'm having a hard time motivating today. Anyone know of a game to play?

[PinkinPA]

I'll join in My Dh has been a LEO for 10 years. He loves his job, sometimes I don't. He is on midnights now for about 3 or 4 years. After reading through the posts, I can relate to almost everything.

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by PinkinPA

I'll join in My Dh has been a LEO for 10 years. He loves his job, sometimes I don't. He is on midnights now for about 3 or 4 years. After reading through the posts, I can relate to almost everything.

Welcome! What hours does "midnights" encompass?

[PinkinPA]

His midnights are 9pm to 7am. He is bored, but it keeps him out of the summer sun!

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by PinkinPA

His midnights are 9pm to 7am. He is bored, but it keeps him out of the summer sun!

Those are DH's hours too. It works perfectly for our family. Plus, it's usually the busiest time and DH loves that (he's sick like that).

So, last week, DH took my little brother on a ride-along. I didn't sleep a wink! He's 18, but still... I was a wreck.

[PinkinPA]

I'll never do a ride along again. All I got ws a lousy 4 hours of paperwork after catching a neighborhood vandal!

[monkaha]

I've never done a ride along. I'm curious to see what DH does all shift. Seems like it would be a lot of boring with a few minutes of excitement. Not my cup of tea. I think I'll just stick to hearing the highlights when he gets home.

[SAHDS]

I think I've discussed my ride-along, but here goes:

So, DH finally cornered me after I don't know how many tries. The facts were against me... 1. The kids were at my cousin's for the night... 2. It was a Sunday (usually slow, right?)... 3. It was Easter for cripe's sake... so I went. Let me tell you...

I was in absolute awe of my husband. Where's the drool smiley...

At home he's fairly quiet and reserved. He lets me call the shots and backs me up in my decisions. He's conservative, not a screamer, etc.

BUT.

He was a different person. He was in control and he was dominant. He knew what had to be done and did it while remaining so professional. He was quick, blunt, did I mention dominant

Wow, thinking back now even gets me all worked up, LOL.

I don't know if I'd do it again soon (we ended up going 125 on the highway after listening to a play-by-play shooting that was going on with another deputy and some drunk crazy), but I am so glad I did.

Whew. I highly recommend it.

Plus, it felt like a date night.

HEY, to think about it, it was our first night away together (in 10 years) without the kids. HA HA.

[KTDad]

This is an awesome thread...I will have to show it to my wife. I would love to join in if I can.

I have been in LE for a few years and I love my job! The schedule sucks and the idea of not coming home to my DW and DS is scary but I NEVER regret my career choice.

Some posts mentioned how spouses can help a LEO cope and all the responses I saw rang true for me. I would like to add though that one of my best coping methods is talking with coworkers. In all other matters of life my DW is my main confidant but for work stuff....I don't really want to see the horror/concern/lack of understanding on her face as I rehash something. I want some to say "I know what ya mean man" and know that they really do know. Does that make any sense?

TACTICAL = AWESOME!

I have a question: Do you or your spouses want your children to stay out of LE? I love my job and accept the risks but the thought of my child doing it someday scares me.

[SAHDS]

Welcome, KTDad!

Originally Posted by KTDad

I have a question: Do you or your spouses want your children to stay out of LE? I love my job and accept the risks but the thought of my child doing it someday scares me.

DS has already said he's joining the Marine Corps when he gets older (just like his daddy did) and then he's going to join the force and be his partner.

I don't really worry about DH much, he's so good at his job and if something is going to happen, there's absolutely nothing I can do to prevent it, so why waste time on the negative? Instead, I try to be there for him when he needs me and stay completely involved, in a positive way, in his job. Of course, that may be different when it's my little boy.

Ugh, DH is working overtime right now because of the horrible flooding going on. Has to watch out for those looters, LOL. How boring.

[monkaha]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

Welcome, KTDad!

I don't really worry about DH much, he's so good at his job and if something is going to happen, there's absolutely nothing I can do to prevent it, so why waste time on the negative? Instead, I try to be there for him when he needs me and stay completely involved, in a positive way, in his job. Of course, that may be different when it's my little boy.

:

It helps that I make a concious effort to not watch those "America's wildest Police Chases" and stuff like that, where they show cops getting shot/hit by cars, etc. When those images are in my head, it's harder to not worry.

As far as the kiddos wanting to go into LE, I think I'd be ok with it. I'd like to think that as long as my kids are happy in their chosen professions, I'm happy too. But, you know, ask me in 15 years or so, and we'll see how I'm really coping. (I don't think it'll be an issue with DS though. He's gonna be a ninja chef. )

[KTDad]

Originally Posted by monkaha

:

(I don't think it'll be an issue with DS though. He's gonna be a ninja chef. )

LOL....I love the ninja chef idea! Reminds me of my little brother very honestly wanting to be a mountain lion. I guess ninja chef has better odds than that at least.

My wife has said she copes in a similar way to what SAHDS and monkaha said. In the academy I used to share all the videos we watch to train us what can go wrong but I got the impression those didn't need to be seen by anyone in my family other than me. DW and my parents would all watch them very willingly but once I realized they only made them fret it seemed like a bad idea.

That is really great that you trust your spouses do a great job. Since you know them best, I bet you are totally right!

[SAHDS]

So, DH's/the county's contract is up for negotiation but since the economy is in the crapper, the union is holding off for a year to get a better one. Which is fine with me because they'll get the retro anyway. So, this month he got a 6% cost of living raise. His COL raise is always in January but I always forget when it comes.

Thank GOD for recession-proof jobs!

[Valkyrie9]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

Thank GOD for recession-proof jobs!

I am with you on that! Both DH and I have pretty secure government jobs and we're so thankful for the stability.

How's everyone doing?

[SAHDS]

Good here. DH's bid for vacation is coming up, I think we're doing the end of June or the beginning of July. He'll probably take a month off like he usually does.

Nothing else much to report...

OH! We got a letter from the hospital saying they needed us to fill out paperwork on DH's claim (or whatever). I'm thinking, he went to the hospital after getting in a fight (broke a guy's nose and had to get his hands checked out ) on duty so shouldn't his work take care of that? I mean, yes his insurance is through his work but it still shouldn't be us taking care of the paperwork and stuff, right?

Does anyone know about that?

[Valkyrie9]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

OH! We got a letter from the hospital saying they needed us to fill out paperwork on DH's claim (or whatever). I'm thinking, he went to the hospital after getting in a fight (broke a guy's nose and had to get his hands checked out ) on duty so shouldn't his work take care of that? I mean, yes his insurance is through his work but it still shouldn't be us taking care of the paperwork and stuff, right?

Does anyone know about that?

I certainly think an on-the-job injury needs to go through his workman's comp claims person. The HR department surely must have someone with some knowledge of that. Did he fill out any paperwork at the time of the injury through the workplace?

[MJ13]

Can I dig this thread up? PLEASE!!!

My DH has been in LE for 2 1/2 years and was in the USMC for 6 years before that.

I came here tonight looking for a LEO thread so I'm glad I found it - I just hope someone still reads it!!!

I just ordered that book off amazon that was recomended earlier in the thread. The author, Dr. Gillmartin, spoke to DH's department recently and he talks about him often.

BUT! I need help. Does anyone elses DH work a rotating schedule? My DH works 12 hr shifts days for 4 weeks then nights for 4 weeks. I just feel like the poor kids never know what is going on - heck I barely know what is going on. He is never around at the same time or same day. Our DS who just turned a year wants nothing to do with daddy and I can tell it's killing my DH. I just don't know how to help. Anyone have this all worked out and want to give me some brilliant advice???

[Valkyrie9]

Well, it's not a rotating schedule my DH has as a game warden--it's no schedule. He's almost always on call. So hunting season is totally hellish. My DD and I see him maybe 6 waking hours a week from mid-September to the end of November. She gets very cranky and unresponsive with him during that time.

The only thing I can tell you is that he really needs to focus some quality time with the kids to keep that from happening. Little ones do seem to forget who That Other Parent is when one is gone for extended periods of time. The good news is that my DD always comes around and is really close to Daddy when he's at home more frequently.

Some guys might feel upset about having to work that hard to get their kids to like them, but it isn't because the dads aren't likeable. It's that the kids just don't know how to interpret the schedule. Good luck!

[MJ13]

ah yes...quality time... I remember that...

We're in the process of moving - only 30 min away but we're gutting and redoing the other house which is what DH is working on in all his free time... While I'm here packing and keeping the house clean for showings

DS has also had a terrible stomach bug for the past week so he only wants mommy which isn't helping the daddy situation. Thankfully we're almost over that!!!

[monkaha]

I guess that's the upside to my working on DH's (ever-changing) days off; the kids get daddy-time. Of course, _I_ never get any daddy time.

I hate rotating shifts. They keep changing how often they rotate, too. It was every year, then every 6mos, now every 4mos. And not a true rotation, DH says that in order for him to get days, someone has to quit. So he just goes back and forth eves and nites. yuck.