In the second of a three-part series, Telling Her Story with Annette Hines, Annette shares her trials and tribulations of going back to work while continuing to be a caregiver for Elizabeth and Caroline. As many women head back into the workforce after being a caregiver at home, the obstacles can be difficult to overcome especially when you have a special needs child. Elizabeth required round-the-clock care and with very limited care options to choose from, having work flexibility and family support becomes critical to being successful in your professional job. It is really like having two jobs, one running your business and the other running your home. Moving up through the glass ceiling or as Annette says the “mommy ceiling” can be done if you find other women to lift you up, you work harder than the next person, and you stop judging and comparing yourself to everyone around you. It is not a work, life balance it is an integration of work AND life! We ask you to join us and listen to Annette’s story part two! If you’d like to learn even more about Annette, check out her personal memoir, Butterflies and Second Chances: A Mom’s Memoir of Love and Loss available in paperback.
Annette Hines’s journey back into the workforce was full of starts and stops. Balancing a job and care for Caroline and her special needs daughter, Elizabeth was not easy. Lack of workforce flexibility, home care options, Elizabeth’s changing health care needs made it tough for Annette to manage it all at once. In a move to control her own narrative, Annette started her own law firm. “You’ve got to do something you love if it is going to pull you away from your family”. Now Annette was doing something she loved with the authority to make it work with her family life. This is part 2 of Telling Her Story as a caregiver, mom, advocate, attorney, a business owner and the author of Butterflies and Second Chances: A Mom’s Memoir of Love and Loss
Listen to the full episode below or you can find us on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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As of January 1, 2022, Special Needs Companies, Special Needs Law Group and Special Needs Family Services will all be housed in this new location. They will be working with designers and contractors to create a family-friendly environment that is special needs accessible. Annette wants to hear from you – what is something you would like to see or something that would make your visit more comfortable when you visit a professional’s office. Of course, they will focus on ramps and more handicapped parking but are there other items that you would like to see or were maybe lacking in your last visit to a professional’s office? Please reach out HERE and let us know!
For information on other topics, please also check out Special Needs Companies. For legal advice, inspiration, and other resources, visit our blog here. Similarly, you can always listen to previous podcast episodes (and be sure to leave us a review), or download our free eBook here. We are always looking for podcast guests as well so please let us know if you or someone you know, has a special needs or disability topic you would like to speak about – Contact Us!
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You can also join our free Facebook group for the disability community, the “Circle of Care,” or watch the webinars and other speaking events on YouTube. The purpose of this community is to create a space for people to be themselves, ask questions and get support and answers, so please share these resources with your friends!
Annette Hines has been practicing in the areas of Special Needs, Elder Law, and Estate Planning for more than 20 years. Ms. Hines brings personal experience with special needs to her practice and podcasts as the mother of two daughters, one of whom passed away from Mitochondrial disease in November 2013. This deep, personal understanding of special needs fuels her passion for quality special needs planning and drives her dedication to help others within the special needs community.