First, I am a PCA (personal care attendant). I work with an individual with FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder). We work on living skills, social skills, communication skills, and anything else they may need help with. For this job each person only gets so many PCA hours per week, and they are split between at least two PCAs. So for example, one gets 21 hours per week, and they are divided between me and another PCA, so each of us get ten and a half hours a week with this one. I usually work three days with this one for three and a half hours a day. There are a couple of great things about this job. First, I can take my son with when I go to work if I want to. It helps with the social skills and their communication skills. Second, this job is very flexible. If I decide I want a week off, I can rearrange the hours I am working, switch hours with the other PCAs, or work twice the amount one week and none the rest. If I want a four day weekend, I rearrange the schedule, and there’s no problem. I never have to work holidays, because they are spending time with their family.
Second I help stock home, public, and school libraries with wonderful children’s books; and as often as possible we try to do it for free. I do this with Usborne Books. We have some wonderful programs to help get more great children’s books into the hands of the people who need them, the children, and at the same time I promote a very valuable skill, a skill that can open any and every door, literacy. This is also very flexible. I set up the home parties when I want them. I set up the informational meetings with libraries, schools, preschools, and daycares according to my schedule, so I never have to do something when I don’t want to. If I want a week off, or a four day weekend, I just don’t schedule anything for that time period.
I also work as a secret shopper. I don’t do this real often, as I live in a rural area, but I do it when I can. Because I don’t do it often I don’t get a lot of money from doing it, however, every little bit helps, and it’s nice to get a little extra money in the middle of the month from them.
Last, but not least, I blog for Families.com. Hava Lyon has done a whole series of articles on this, including what it takes, what things will get you fired, the positives of it, and the pay. I like the positives that Hava wrote about (flexibility and freedom), and then some. I love writing, and have thought about being a freelance writer before, I just never looked further into it. Blogging for families.com is allowing me to get my foot in the door.