S3. E6. Life in a Firefighter Family: Routines, Holidays & Privacy with Caitlyn Munger

Married to a firefighter and wondering how anyone does this? Licensed marriage and family therapist and "firewife" Caitlyn Munger of Meet the Mungers joins me to talk first responder family life. Her husband left for an 18-day strike team deployment the day after their honeymoon. Nobody warns you about that part. We cover: Parenting routines that hold up through unpredictable firefighter shifts A visual shift calendar and simple ways to make a parent's return feel special A holiday survival guide: guilt, boundaries, scheduling, and flexible traditions Why Caitlyn stopped showing her kids' faces online after a hacked baby monitor Finding fire-family community near you, from department families to library meetups "You won't know it until you're in it." If you love a firefighter, this one's for you. Try this week 1. Pick one routine that stays predictable no matter the schedule. 2. Put a visual calendar up so the kids can see work days and home days. 3. Compare schedules and choose your holiday priorities before December. Chapters 00:00 Meet Caitlyn Munger, therapist and firewife 01:43 Newlywed life and a four-month strike-team deployment 09:42 Owning the firewife experience online 13:35 Why Caitlyn stopped showing her children's faces 21:29 Building flexible routines around unpredictable shifts 31:09 Holiday planning, traditions, and boundaries 39:22 Finding fire-family community 48:36 Time, family priorities, and legacy Links Caitlyn Munger / Meet the Mungers: https://meetthemungers.com/ |   / meetthemungers   Carry On Fire Family:   / carryonfirefamily   Keywords: firefighter wife, firewife, first responder family, firefighter family support, firefighter spouse, parenting routines, holiday boundaries, children's online privacy, therapist mom