Episode 5: The Shift Doesn’t End When He Comes Home

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the person you rely on most is gone for 24, 48, or 72 hours at a time—and you’re left to handle the kids, the house, the emergencies, and everything in between?In this episode of Stronger Than the Shift, I sit down with Nikki to talk about the realities of being married to a firefighter and raising a family around the shift.In this episode, we talk about:The reality of parenting alone while your spouse is working a long shiftThe mental shift that happens when your firefighter comes homeMarriage, resentment, and finding your way back to each otherThe anxiety that comes with knowing your spouse’s job is dangerousWhat it’s like when your spouse works both fire and EMSHow difficult calls can affect the firefighter—and the spouse waiting at homeThe importance of having people who truly understand the fire-family lifeBuilding your own support system and finding your “people”This conversation is honest, funny, and incredibly relatable. Because sometimes the hardest part of being a fire wife isn’t the 24, 48, or 72 hours they’re gone—it’s figuring out how to navigate everything when they come home.And sometimes, thriving isn’t the goal.Sometimes, you’re just trying to make it through the shift.And that’s okay.You are stronger than the shift.🎙️ Stronger Than the Shift is hosted by Emily, from Coffee Calls & Carseats, and created for the spouses who love someone who serves.If this episode resonates with you, share it with another fire wife who needs the reminder that she’s not alone.