For police Cpl. Kristel May L. Nicdao of the Quezon City Police District, balancing police duty with raising six children means constantly moving between two demanding worlds.

Assigned to the District Personnel and Records Management Division, Nicdao said motherhood and police work often collide in difficult ways.

“There have been countless days when I reported for duty before my children woke up and returned home long after they had already fallen asleep,” Nicdao told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

“There are nights when emergencies suddenly call me away from home, and moments when guilt quietly creeps in because I missed a school program, a sports event, or even a simple family dinner,” she added.

Nicdao said she often comes home exhausted from work but still makes sure her children are cared for, fed and loved.

“Being a police officer means always being on call, but being a mother of six means always being needed. And sometimes, those two worlds collide,” she said.

She credited her husband and fellow police officers for helping her manage the pressures of work and family life.

“I am blessed to have a loving husband, my greatest partner, who shares every responsibility, every burden and every joy with me,” she said.

Nicdao also described her fellow officers as family members who step in during emergencies and difficult moments.

Whenever she wears the uniform, Nicdao said she reminds herself that serving the community is also a way of protecting her children’s future.

“But when I take off the badge, I try my best to leave the stress and burdens of work behind and focus on being present for my family,” she said.