I have spent the last few months trying to figure out next steps for me professionally. During this time, two important things happened. The first being a hard question from my girl: why don’t you do work related to your degree? That question stung a bit, but then I realized there was truth in it. I closed my non-profit and went back to work full time in 2016, not to fulfill my professional goals, but to generate enough income to be able to send our two kiddos to expensive private school. As I was thinking about what was next for me, I was offered some part time contract work with a local school district to support teachers of pre-k students who did not receive referrals or early intervention services during the pandemic… so back to my professional training, and honestly, an area of expertise. I had no idea how much I missed this work until I was doing it again. These two important things helped me figure out my next steps, as I officially become an empty nest parent, and my husband heads off to his new career in August.
With support from a good friend (thanks Mel), I began to rebrand my blog, complete with a new logo designed by the friend who helped me love Mother’s Day again(thanks Jocelyn). My professional writing will be focused on parenting topics for children of all ages, I will continue to moderate Parents Connect on Facebook, and I am going to be offering consultation services for parents. These consultations can be around any topic related to parenting, but here are a few things that pop up frequently with families:
–> needing a better school fit for a child
–> help navigating homework during the middle school years
–> advocating for school accommodations and modifications (IEPs and 504 Plans)
–> finding good social outlets and appropriate peer groups
I have been trying to spread the word about my new endeavor within my social networks, but a business savvy friend asked when I was going to officially launch my business (thanks Courtney). Well, this is it! I am excited to announce my first partnership in the next week or so, but for now world, meet The Thoughtful Mom. A way for me to get back to my professional roots, write on a regular basis, and help families.