<p>After a good deal of soul searching, I think I am suffering from empty nest uncertainty. I need help figuring out what to do to keep myself fulfilled (and make some money). </p>
<p>My husband works for himself and has some flexibility so we want to take advantage and travel…so I really can’t be tied down to a “real” job schedule.</p>
<p>Here are my interests/talents. If you have any suggestions I would really appreciate hearing them. I would like to make money as I already do quite a bit of volunteer work.</p>
<p>I love children, especially special needs children.
I love animals, mostly dogs cats, and rabbits.
I am an extremely good writer.
I am especially compassionate and caring.
I am a really good listener.
I used to work as a nurse, but my license is expired.</p>
<p>Have you looked into becoming a respite caregiver? Or maybe a special needs substitute teacher? Just 2 that immediately come to mind. Good luck!</p>
<p>See if your public schools have any type of Early Reading Initiative employees. Here they work about 3 or 4 hours a day during the school year. This involves working with small groups (4-6) for 30 min. in grades K to 3. The school calendar gives some flexibility and the pay is good for part time work.</p>
<p>How about a home aide for elderly / sick people. Not a home-care nurse (unless you want to renew your license), but someone who helps with routine household tasks.</p>
<p>My grandparents had an aide for about a year before their health deteriorated to the point where they needed to move to a nursing home. Their aide came a couple times a week for a couple of hours at a time. She would do some light housekeeping (a cleaning lady came every two weeks), laundry, and I think even get groceries if needed. The aide helped my grandparents, but really helped my mom because there were two days/week that someone was checking on her parents.</p>
<p>I have heard there are agencies that you could go through, but I think the woman who worked for my grandparents was “freelance”. With your nursing background, you probably could offer more in terms of personal care help – maybe bathing,help with medications etc. Of course, you would have to make sure you understood any liability issues.</p>
<p>Your listening skills and compassion would certainly be appreciated by a home-bound senior citizen.</p>
<p>You might want to get in touch with someone in your school district to find out what they need. You might consider being a teaching assistant, which might not require a teaching certificate or become a substitute teacher or help in your high school as a tutor. This might be where you can use your writing skills. You might also want to explore if your HS offers tutors to teach an inbound child. Maybe this interess you and doesn’t require special training.</p>
<p>You might also want to work at an animal shelter or at a kennel or a vet. You could be a dog walker there. Another thought: become a dog trainer or own/train a dog for the blind.</p>
<p>You might contact a large child care center near you -or a chain. They might be use substitute teachers - so nothing on a regular basis, but on-call. It would probably need to be a center large enough to make use of a sub.</p>
<p>Or look into “per diem”/contingent positions at a local hospital. With these positions, you also sort of “sub” into positions, but have the right to turn down a shift. So, again, may not be regular, but would have the convenience. </p>
<p>Sometimes I see positions for part-time grant writers for non-profits.</p>
<p>questbest - I agree with those who suggest being a paid caregiver. I can’t tell you how much of a need there is in this area for competent, compassionate caregivers. Having been an RN (even if your license is expired) will provide options that most caregivers cannot have in regards to how much you can earn. And you can have flexibility.</p>
<p>Your background is very similar to one of my friend’s: recent empty nest, nurse with lapsed license, loves kids and animals (she lives on a small farm and has llamas, sheep, and chickens). She did volunteer as an EMT for our town ambulance service and did pass that test and went on the do paramedic training. She recently got a job working with two special needs kids in a neighboring town. One kid has severe allergies and is allergic to almost everything–the other has an epileptic disorder (which is under control with drugs). Both kids can’t go on the bus to the special needs program unless there is a trained professional on-board accompanying them. She gets on the bus with the kids in the morning–drives to the place where the driver starts, stays on the bus until the kids are at their program, and then goes back to her car with the driver. Does the same thing in the afternoon. She loves it–has all school vacations and summers off. No real pressure–she loves the kids and they love her. She says they could easily ride on their own–they’re 7 and 10. There’s someone who can do backup for her, if she’s away. She found the job on Craig’s List!</p>
<p>Building on the fact that you spoke of a desire for a flexible schedule, being a substitute teacher for your county can be a great idea. You can tell them what schools you are willing to go to, what grades you will sub for, what days you are available, etc. They often make an hourly wage greater than the front office staff. The staff that coordinates subs get to know the subs and really have their favorites and ‘go to’ people who get their pick of days requested off by teachers well in advance. Some of these can be long term subs (a two month position for a teacher that will be leaving in the spring for maternity leave for example). Although the age may be what most people avoid, middle school really is a great age group (11yo-14yo). You generally teach the same class material several periods a day (unlike high school which can teach several subject levels) with a planning period you have free. Elem school has one class but a day full of activities, not one hour block that just repeats several times.</p>
<p>The beauty, if you are not comfortable with the ‘vibe’ of a specific school after a few visits, you can mark it off your list. You haven’t ‘quit’, just moved on. It’s very flexible.</p>
<p>I don’t know how this works in the rest of the country - and the pickings might be slim for this sort of thing…but our private Catholic elementary school has a school “nurse” - someone who is just at school 1/2 days and may not be a nurse, but has some very basic first aid skills, etc. If you would contact any schools for sub positions, you might also want to mention your nursing skills and the possibility of helping out in a school clinic type situation.</p>
<p>I happened upon this job opportunity this morning…thought I would share - the writing style they are looking for may be difficult, but the flexibility looks great!</p>
<p>I recently went back to work as an employment specialist. Fancy title for a job coach for special needs young adults that are in competitive employment. I love it. It is extremely rewarding and flexible. </p>
<p>Let me know if you want to know more. I have also done the school para thing…but that is usually full time Aug thru June with no vacation time allowed except school breaks.</p>