Tag Archives: independent provider

Stayin’ Alive

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Stayin’ Alive

Hello! As an Independent Provider, it is required to get recertified in CPR and First Aid every two years. I am always more than happy to do so because not only is this certification beneficial for my clients, but it can help my family, friends, and perfect strangers too. This past weekend, I had my in person skills assessment at a church in Akron. I am pleased to report that I didn’t burst into flames and that I passed with flying colors! 😀

I have been working in my field for a decade, which means this was my fifth CPR and First Aid training. In my group, a majority of the people had never taken a class before and I became the guinea pig of the day. I could tell that everyone felt pretty nervous and, honestly, it made ME nervous to be the first one to perform skills because what if I suck lol. I vividly remember my first CPR and First Aid training. There was SO. Much. Information. and it was incredibly overwhelming. The anxiety for me was palpable that day and I could literally feel it in the air at class this weekend. Thankfully, everything went without a hitch and it made me feel good to help ease some nerves and encourage and guide others.

CPR and First Aid are life saving skills and can be one of those things that you lose if you aren’t doing them often. I was SO glad to be able to have a refresher because our teacher for the day was excellent. I was incredibly appreciative of the fact that she really took the time to pinpoint areas of improvement with each student, myself included. She was also very calm and collected, which I liked a lot. By employing the pro tips she taught and trying to emulate her cool as a cucumber demeanor, it made performing the skills more natural and increased my confidence. You never know what the scene will be like during an emergency situation and it was such good practice to be able to match her energy and maintain a level head with each skill.

If you have never taken a CPR and First Aid course, I truly can’t recommend it enough. These aren’t just skills for people in specific jobs, they are for everyone to learn. Hopefully, you will never encounter a situation that warrants using these life saving techniques. However, should it happen, you will be well equipped to help.

Do you know how to do CPR? What song do you use in your head? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Best Job Ever!

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Best Job Ever!

Hello!! I have been working with people with special needs for a decade now and I simply could not imagine doing anything different. Don’t get me wrong, I love working on the blog and social media but my work community feels like home and it is a beautiful thing. Being able to help and work with so many amazing families is a gift and I don’t take it lightly. One of my greatest joys this year has been being reunited with my VERY FIRST client and her family. It has been like stepping into a time capsule from when I first started out and it feels like I never left. During our last session, my client presented me with this sweet gift and I will treasure it for forever:

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My client and I spent a snowy day inside completing household chores together. About halfway through, she said “Oh! I almost forgot. I wanted you to have this because you have always been there for me and I’m so happy you are able to work with me again”. Then, she handed me the little angel and I almost cried – not just because it was incredibly thoughtful, but because I feel the exact same way. I was ecstatic when her parents reached out to me and it feels so good to be back. It really is a high point of my week.

I love my job even on the most difficult days and it’s moments like these that always makes me eager for my next shift. I have received countless drawings, works of art, cards, and trinkets from my clients over my extensive tenure and I have kept them all. I have enjoyed my time with every family I have worked with and displaying these gifts where I can see them around my apartment is a constant reminder of that. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world as I placed my angel on my knick knack shelf directly across from my computer station. I see it every time I look up and I smile Every. Single. Time.

My work never feels like work because I am genuinely excited every time I hop into the car and venture to one of my clients. Here’s to ten more years in the best field EVER!

What do you love about your job? What would you change about your job? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Work Goals Achieved (YES!)

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Work Goals Achieved (YES!)

Howdy! As the transition from 2022 and 2023 happened, one of my main goals was to work a lot more online. While I love my job as an Independent Provider, I wanted to try new things too and what I was most interested in was taking my online work to a new level. This was such an “asked and answered” situation because on January 4th of 2023, I began working as the in house writer for a tech entrepreneur in Massillon, Ohio. This was an absolute dream come true!

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With this job came the responsibilities of handling social media for several different accounts, writing blog posts and press releases, as well as office admin work. It honestly doesn’t even feel like work because it is so much fun! Like my job as an Independent Provider, I know that it’s something that I’m not only excellent at, but I genuinely enjoy too. It truly doesn’t get much better than that and I have lifewithlilred to thank. That is how I got noticed for this opportunity in the first place. ❤

At the end of 2023, my time with a long term client came to an unfortunate end and that was really hard for me. I assumed that I would be working with that family for forever and I was wrong. It was also stressful because I needed to find a way to make up for the hours lost. Once again, asked and answered. My online boss gave the okay for additional hours on Monday and, better yet, I get to do that in person! Every Monday, I have been going into the office for training and am learning so much. It gives me the chance to work with the companies my boss owns in an entirely new way and it is thrilling!

The cherry on top to my online work extravaganza has been accepting another new role. Starting this past December, I became the social media manager for a local metalcore band called Constellations. I created all of their social media pages from scratch and handle their content calendars, scheduling, and promoting. This is something that I have wanted for so long and I am very proud of myself for taking the plunge and tossing my hat in the ring when they were looking to hire someone. I took a big chance and it paid off big time. 😀

It’s safe to say that I am a pretty busy gal between all of my jobs, but it is the best kind of busy ever. I love everything that I do and I can’t wait to see what opportunities come my way next!

Have you achieved any goals recently? What is your favorite part about your job? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Busy Day OOTD Bloopers

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Busy Day OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Busy Day OOTD! Normally, weekends are my time to veg out and catch up on my R&R after a long work week. This past Saturday, however, was different because I needed to get recertified in CPR and first aid for my job as an Independent Provider. As much as I don’t like doing anything work related during my beloved time off, I am happy to have gotten it done and brush up on my skills. Of course, I had to take some OOTD pics before I got my training on and, as always, there were lots of yikes shots interspersed with the winners. Check it out:

Looking like Donkey from Shrek

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The face of a gal who’s READY to get her CPR on

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Do you think they’ll go over how to pop your foot in this class?

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Spoiler Alert: They didn’t. *Face palm*

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Sweet mother was it cold out!!!! Smiling through the pain

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Getting ready for my close up…

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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As an Independent Provider, I have to get recertified in CPR and first aid every two years and this was my fourth time doing so. Back in 2022, I had arguably the WORST time at the class. It had snowed like crazy the night before, my car got stuck in the parking lot, and Johnny had to take me to the Red Cross building in Akron for the training. This was fine, but what wasn’t okay was that the teacher of the class was TWO HOURS late! All of the trainees decided to stick around instead of sign up for another session because the weather was crap. I think we were all so fed up by the time the teacher arrived that it was going to be the worst class ever regardless of if she did a good job or not.

This time around, though, was fantastic. It was actually the best training I have ever had in four sessions because our fearless leader, RANDY, was amazing! He armed us all with a wealth of knowledge and perspectives that I have never heard before in almost a decade. Not to mention the fact that Randy was an absolute cut up. He was cracking jokes left and right and real recognized real because I was his go to for some back and forth. It was a hoot!

My favorite part of the class has got to be when we were practicing CPR on our dummies. Randy told us the situation could get chaotic if we ever had to perform CPR and he did his best to bring that craziness to our practice rounds. He would bend down beside our dummies yelling “JOE, YOU’RE GONNA MAKE IT! YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR!!!”. In my head, I was having a laugh but it didn’t stop me from doing a good job! I am also pleased to report that I didn’t lose count for compressions even when Randy was trying to mess us up by going “thirteen, twenty-four, two, nine” and so on and so forth. He had some tricks up his sleeve, for sure, but I have never felt more confident in my CPR ability than after his class. 🙂

Even though it was a Busy Day, I am thrilled for it because I would have never gotten the highest quality training in CPR and first aid that I have ever had. Fingers crossed that Randy will be my teacher again in 2026!

Are you certified in CPR or first aid? Why did you have to get that training done? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sweet Surprises: Early Christmas Gift Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Early Christmas Gift Edition

Hello!!! I had a pretty difficult day at my job as an Independent Provider this past Monday and it hit me really hard. It is always the worst when I have to let go of long term clients, but that is just what had to happen and I was beside myself. It was a rain cloud on this past week for sure, but a rainbow appeared on Wednesday morning when one of my clients decided to give me their family Christmas gift early. Oddly enough, I was actually thinking of bringing their gifts in that very day! This was, hands down, one of the most beautiful, thoughtful gifts I have ever received and reminded me why working in the field is still exactly where I needed to be. Maybe that family decided I could use a pick me up that day and it worked like a charm. Check it out:

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The inside of the sun and moon patterned bracelet says “You were made to make a difference” and the inside of the plain one says “You make the world a better place”.

Guys, when I tell you I was ugly crying when I unwrapped my presents – I mean I was ugly crying. I adore the mini cuff message bracelets so very much and have at least six of them in my collection. The very first one I got was from my mom when I was a teenager and it sparked a love of them ever since. My clients’ family had no idea about this and I was flabbergasted when I opened them up and simply verklempt when I read the sweet sentiments inside. The messages that these bracelets held were exactly what I needed and given to me exactly when I needed them. It was so unbelievably special to me and once the waterworks started, there was no stopping it.

I love my job so much and always will, even on hard days. But, I think anyone who works in the care field wonders from time to time if they are ever actually making a difference – especially after a bad day. These bracelets were the confirmation I needed that, yes, I am changing the lives of the people I serve and, yes, the world is a better place because of it. It was humbling and beautiful to see this written plainly across the bracelets I received. This gift was so comforting because it told me that I am still doing everything right by my clients and people who I will have the pleasure of helping in the future. I just renewed my certification as a provider and I can’t wait to see where my next three years in the field takes me!

This is the literal first time that I have cried over a gift and I will treasure these bracelets until the end of my days. It was given to me by a family who is so special to me and I take pride in the fact that I am special to them too. ❤

Have you ever got emotional over a gift? What is the best gift you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Lil Red Update

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A Lil Red Update

Helloooo darlings! Is it just me or have these past few months been crazy? I feel like I have been going nonstop and am so looking forward to Christmas break even though I literally just took time off for Thanksgiving lol. Even though I have been on the move between all of my jobs and I am exhausted, it hasn’t been bad at all! In fact, I have made quite a few changes to my work schedule and have been enjoying it – even though this change requires me to get up at three AM a few mornings during the work week. 😮 So early, I know but so worth it!

Since October I have been providing transportation to one of my old clients to take him to work. I pick him up at seven thirty in the morning, but that doesn’t mean that I can sleep in until I have to leave. After lots of mental math, I realized that I would need to get up at three for my morning to go like usual. Get up, work out, take care of the bunnies, shower, take the buns out to play, write, and work from home for my other job for two hours. After all of this, it takes me to seven o’clock when I have to leave.

The mornings are a doozy, for sure, but I have so loved seeing my old client again that I don’t even care. What’s even better is that our day together doesn’t end once we get to his job because I have recently became his job coach too! I got my job coaching certification a few years ago for another client and, unfortunately, it fell through. I never sought out another client for that particular aspect of my job so it was most exciting for the opportunity to give it a shot. I like to think I’m rocking it, but my client takes the cake and it has been a great experience for both of us. 🙂

My work in the field isn’t the only thing that has been keeping me busy busy because online work has been nuts too. Gotta love peak advertising season! Between lifewithlilred, my job as an in house writer for a tech entrepreneur, and potentially creating a podcast with a local celebrity, it’s safe to say that I have had a lot of quality time with my computer. It’s a lot, yes, but once again it is extremely fulfilling and I am thrilled with all of the ways that my different jobs have been taking off. I feel so proud of myself and it keeps me motivated to keep working hard to achieve even more of my goals.

With all of these changes to my work schedule, I am patting myself on the back and giving myself an “attagirl” for being all done with my holiday shopping! I knew there was a reason that I started around August because it’s one less thing I have to worry about now. Well… Except for wrapping everything lol but, otherwise, it’s a wrap. I can’t wait to keep working my hardest until my holiday break and hope the new year starts just as strong!

What has been going on in your wonderful world? How has work been going for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

She Sells Seashells

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She Sells Seashells

Hello!!! I work as an Independent Provider for people with special needs and specialize in community inclusion and daily living skills. I have worked in the field for almost a decade and all of my clients new and old will always hold a very special place in my heart. It is the best job in the whole world and I am so thankful to have assisted so many amazing families. It means so much to be trusted to provide quality care and I deliver nothing less every day at work.

Whenever I can’t see my clients due to vacations or days off, I miss them terribly! My days feel so off without my normal shifts and all smiles and I couldn’t wait for one of my clients to return from a family vaca. I know for a fact this young man was missing me too because he collected seashells on the beach just for me and proudly presented them when I saw him again:

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When I was given my seashells, I seriously almost cried. I was SO touched that my client took the time out of his vacation to search for shells that he thought I would like. He was completely right, because I LOVE them. He told me that they have to drive to the beach next time because all of the shells that he wanted to bring me wouldn’t fit on the plane! I cannot wait to find a pretty jar to house my shells in and display it on my knick knack shelves so I can see them and smile every day. ❤

Between three jobs, I am a busy lady. However, I will never be too busy to see my clients; I simply could not imagine my life without any of them! It brings me such great joy to teach new things when I am at work, but every day, I am the one who learns something new. My seashells will serve as a reminder to always be thoughtful, generous, and kind – just like the dear young man who gave them to me. I am the lucky one to even know him and feel proud to continue to grow as people together!

As the weather in Ohio remains awful, I will be on the beach in the sunshine every time I see my seashells. Always turn your face towards the sun and have the best day, darling friends!

Where is your dream vacation location? Who has seashells on display in their home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

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Lil Red: A Creature Of Habit

Hello!! At the moment, I have three jobs and my life has been very busy. I work as a provider for people with special needs, create daily content for lifewithlilred and complete online work, and I just began a new marketing gig in January. At some point this year, I will cut back on my work in the field and give myself more time to not only work from home, but relax with a less demanding schedule. For now, however, I am enjoying the ride and I love seeing all of the hard work I put into lifewithlilred come into fruition in my new job.

With three jobs under my belt as well as being a very active bunny mom, I have been asked a lot since the beginning of the year how I have been managing. I am no stranger to working several jobs at once so this isn’t a brand new situation for me, but it does help a lot that Lil Red is, first and foremost, A Creature Of Habit. Because of this, my days run like a fine tuned machine and all of the following components help me to achieve this:

Sticking To A Schedule:

My schedule is the most important thing to achieve optimum success during the work week. Without it, I wouldn’t have the time to care for the bunnies in the morning, create content, and work from home before going to a client’s home. This morning routine came into place this past November when Johnny and I brought Mel and Penelope home, but it became an absolute necessity when I started my new job at the beginning of the year. Of course, waking up at five AM is not my idea of a good time in the slightest. However, if I don’t, my work day wouldn’t end until six or so in the evening and that sounds like less of a good time to me. Sticking to this schedule has lots of obvious benefits and my weekend days feel very off when I don’t have to follow through with it!

Forming Good Habits:

Prior to bringing the bunnies home, I was able to sleep in a bit later and was never too pressed if I had to hit the snooze button once, twice, or several times! As wonderful as it was to get the extra Zs, this was a habit that I needed to break for my day to run smoothly. Believe you me, I would LOVE to hit the snooze every morning and if I am extra tired, I will every now and then. But, I like being able to relax when I get home from work rather than work more. Fighting the urge to hit the snooze is definitely a habit that I am glad to have made.

Another good habit that I have formed fairly recently is establishing a meal schedule. Since my days shifted to a much earlier time and I have a lot to do, I go from hungry to hangry really quickly and that is not okay. During my mornings at home, I have penciled in time to have an actual breakfast, pack a snack or lunch for later in the day, and not be completely ravenous by dinnertime. I have come to realize how important it is to fuel my body for long work days and it has helped so much in reducing how rundown I have been feeling.

Take A Break:

Going nonstop is my forte, but it’s not a good thing to be gifted in lol. If I have the time after online work in the morning, I have given myself permission to take a break. Usually I will give my brain some breathing room by watching one episode of Assassination Classroom on Crunchyroll or reading a chapter or two in whatever book I’m working on. Because I work for myself, no one but me tells me when it’s time to rest for a bit. If I had an employee, I would most certainly allow for breaks for them, so why not me too? Even little breaks throughout the day to stretch and hydrate are helpful and it keeps me from completely crashing later. Total win/win!

Creating a schedule and habits that work for me took a decent amount of trial and error, but I am fully satisfied with the end result. I am proud of the work that I accomplish and, honestly, look forward to getting up every morning to see where the day takes me!

How important is a schedule to you? What do you like to do during break time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Fall Craft Morning

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Fall Craft Morning

Hello!! I work as an Independent Provider for people with special needs and it is the best job ever! This past Friday, I spent a fantastic morning getting crafty with one of my clients and we had a blast. Even better, part of our supplies for the projects we completed came from going on a fall hike. We gathered leaves to do some crayon stenciling and also purchased small pumpkins to paint. These crafts were simple to make but so much fun and will be a great way to spend a chilly fall afternoon with nothing to do:

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My neck of the woods boasts so many different Metro Parks that it’s impossible to keep track of them all. I have been looking forward to fall hikes with my client since the summertime and the trail we went on was glorious with all of the leaves changing colors. It also was a unique twist to turn it into a scavenger hunt of sorts while we scoured the ground for perfect leaves to stencil.

After the hike was done and our hoodie pockets were filled with leaves, we bought pumpkins and headed home to get our craft on. The leaf stenciling was a huge hit and, although the directions are self explanatory, here they are:

  1. Acquire leaves
  2. Place the leaf vein side up underneath a piece of paper
  3. Rub over the leaf gently with the side of a crayon
  4. Rinse and repeat

While our leaf craft was very successful, the piece de resistance was definitely painting the pumpkins! I have never carved a pumpkin before and, honestly, don’t trust myself enough to lol so painting a pumpkin is my compromise. This is a craft that I have done with many a client and it’s an ideal way to get into the fall spirit without the messiness of pumpkin carving. I opted for a pumpkin with the lifewithlilred initials and my client painted a super colorful pumpkin that turned out amazing. Now, I have to figure out some more crafts for next week! 😀

Not only is fall my favorite season but it is also my favorite time of year to spend with the people I serve. Enjoying the beautiful nature, cooler temps, and all of the activities and crafts that come with autumn never makes for a dull moment! ❤

Have you made any fall crafts? How did they turn out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

A Day In The Life Of Lil Red

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A Day In The Life Of Lil Red

Hello! I told you that I would be using some of the writing prompts that I suggested for all of you yesterday and here I am – surprise! Yours truly knows a thing or two about writer’s block and, honestly, the best way for me to combat it is to think of a ton of different post topics and go from there. So, as per my own recommendation, I am going to take all of you through a normal day for Lil Red, pandemic style. Here we go:

Morning:

I typically wake up to start getting ready for work around seven. It’s a bit of a mad dash for me because I need to shower, write, and do any other last minute preparations with the hope of leaving for a client’s house at eight fifteen. This may seem like a lot to cram into an hour and a quarter but I have been dedicated to this morning routine for years and it would be weird to change it up now. I also find that I am less likely to keep hitting the snooze button when I have a few things to accomplish before I even leave for work! 

Afternoon:

My afternoons are dedicated to my clients and trying to find fun ways to keep them occupied at home during the pandemic. I love my job so much and have been an Independent Provider for people with special needs for over three years now. The pandemic has definitely put a damper in a normal day at work as community integration is my specialty but I think that I am better at my job for it because I have had to get so creative with endless days at home. No matter what we do, I am always thankful for time with my clients and get home anywhere between three thirty and five during my work week.

Evening:

Once I get home from work, I still have a bit of paper and computer work to take care of before I can settle in with Johnny for dinner and an episode of whatever show we’re watching. Right now, we are working on three different ones: Castlevania, the Ken Burns Vietnam documentary, and King Of The Hill as our comedic palette cleanser. Johnny and I will sometimes play a few video games, as well. I am currently still working on Mario Galaxy and it is so much fun! I also like to incorporate some time into all of my evenings to read and practice the five languages I am learning on Duolingo for a mental work out.

My days have felt rather blah lately but after writing out a typical day in my life, I have realized that I actually do a lot even during the pandemic. I feel proud of myself for sticking with all of my routines and still trying to make every day a great one despite not feeling my best. Here’s to safer and happier times to come!

What is a day in your life like? Which shows are you currently watching? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah