Police officer skills to use as a parent

Juggling life

You have two great responsibilities, being a parent and an officer. And while they might seem like they’re worlds apart, they aren’t. 

Think about it. As a parent, you must go to doctor’s appointments, take your kids to school, work with them to overcome difficulties, plus teach and guide them between right and wrong.

And then there’s your job. You’re responsible for keeping your community safe. There are people who require your special attention.

The tough love approach works across both your roles.

You’re a role model, day and night.

Life is jam-packed with to-do lists and things that keep demanding our attention.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to juggle the job and the kids, remember there’s a lot of common ground between the two.

Let’s go through a few of the similarities and how parenting can help you in your duties at work:

Your role is to protect 

Whether you’re at home tucking your child in at night or on duty, driving the streets, your number one job is to ensure a safe environment.

People rely on police officers to protect their community from harm, just as much as your family does at home. 

You work in a team 

Communication is key, in most things in life. For police officers, you’re part of a team, a community, and a department.

For any team, clear communication and coordination are critical, but this especially rings true for the police force. Lives are on the line.

At home, you’re still a part of a team. Everyone under your roof needs to work together to get things done.

One day you might drop your kids off at soccer training, and the next week you handball responsibility to your other half or a trusted family member. You need to prioritise and get things done.

You’re constantly problem solving 

At work, it’s up to you to determine the best course of action in all situations. No two scenarios are ever the same.

While break ins, fights and domestics happen often, each situation will be different.

You need to be able to show initiative, think fast, and be assertive. The same goes with parenting.

Children, like adults, are unpredictable. Whether your eight-year-old forgot their lunch or your toddler fell off a bench they climbed, you’ve got to master thinking on your feet.

If you can remember the common ground between policing and parenting, you’ll continue to leverage your instincts and grow in both roles.

In all honesty, both roles are full of challenges and intense situations.

But, you didn’t sign up for either because you like things easy. You became a parent and an officer for the love and challenge of it.

And heck, isn’t it one hell of a fun ride.