u/lmm0501

So I got my esthetician license about a year ago, and I’ll have my LMT license at the end of December. (I tried posting this in the massage therapist community as well but I couldn’t since I’m new lol)
I’ve been looking into jobs, the pay, schedules, benefits, stuff like that. Eventually I’d like to go solo with both licenses, but I’m not doing that now because I’m not in a location I’d like to start a business in, and I’d also like to gain experience in established businesses first.
I was looking at local branches in my area and realized most local places open at like 11 and close at like 9. Which wouldn’t be a problem for me if I wasn’t a solo mother to a toddler. Most daycares close at 6. I was hoping to find a job with hours that are more like 8-4. But I guess it makes sense that most clients come after 3, hence why most places close at 9. I cant do that tho, maybe like on Saturdays only but definitely not everyday, and definitely not on the weekdays, I don’t have any help with my kid. Which I’m not complaining about, but it’s very conflicting with the average schedule in this career field I feel like.

I’d like to make enough money that me and my child can live independently without being stressed or insanely tight on money, budgeting forever. And I’m not sure if I just have anxiety bc it’s super close to me getting my lmt license or if I’m just stressing trying to preparing myself for the lifestyle I may have to endure if I don’t set it up properly

So I’d like to hear some advice from other people, I know it’s mostly estheticians on here, I was hoping maybe since it’s the same field ppl might have some insight on the lmt aspect of it too. But I’d love advice from literally anyone in this profession. Some advice from maybe a single mother doing this line of work would be cool too, or even anyone who knows someone who’s working FT and parenting solo easily, maybe expose their tips and tricks for me😫😅

I’m just not sure where to apply to once I’m licensed. I know there’s lots of jobs that would hire for good hours as just an LMT, but I’d also like to find a place that utilizes my esthetician license too, and hopefully I could maximize income? Idk advice is definitely needed tho!

My (just about) 18 month old only says mama. I noticed she had a speech delay around 6 months old when she wasn’t babbling. It was like weird long cute little groans. Her pediatrician called it a pterodactyl phase lol. And she did that along with raspberry blowing till about 14 months old when she finally said mama. Mama is the only like “directed” word she says right now, not sure if that’s the right term for that.

She babbles a lot now, she babbles nananana, and dadadada. But I don’t think either of them are meant towards anyone or anything. Just the mama, when I go pee or something I can hear her circling the house and every few seconds she’s calling mama

She started speech therapy a little under 2 months ago, and does it weekly. I honestly haven’t seen much improvement. Idk if it’s the therapist or just my stubborn little baby.

It’s just a weird case to me, I taught in daycares for 5 years, specifically with this age group and I was extensively trained in early autism and how to look for it. Ive always been like hyper aware of it, and I’ve always tried looking for signs after realizing she was starting to delay but I dint see any.

I mean she’s super smart, her speech therapist said so as well. She maintains eye contact, comes when called, follows the directions we’ve practiced, attempts to preform life tasks (on command too lol), runs, huge climber lol, love playing with other kids, she follows cautiously but curiously behind animals, idk like she meets ALLLL her other milestones and even excels in a few.

All except the speech. And everyone is saying “oh she’ll talk when she’s ready” but it’s been long enough. And they say “she doesn’t talk bc you’re both good at immediately understanding each other so she feels no need for it yet” which I kinda understood and went along with that for a bit. But the language barrier is still frustrating.

I think it’s because she doesn’t attempt to copy what I say or anyone says. I’m really really good with narrating all day what I’m doing, where we’re going, what she’s looking at, eating, etc. I’ll try and get her to repeat it. But she really just looks at me like I’m dumb yall!!😂😂 Like i know she knows what I’m talking about, she’ll pick some of the stuff up herself and bring it to me. I mean she really even walks herself to bed the firsttt time I say “let’s go night night”. And then I try and get her to say night night and she just stares at me😂 like omg tryyyyy or something girl. I can’t even get a remotely sounding babble out of her. Or even a babble for that matter. I’m not sure how else to get her to wanna try to talk.

I want to put her PT in daycare so she can have some friends since she’s really fond of the kids in our neighborhood that she plays with. But they all call her “baby” even tho she’s only a few months younger, she just can’t talk back to them. Just her playful mixed babbling/raspberry blowing. She’s really good at playing with them tho, they all play pretend or tag or fetch the ball etc. it’s cute.

Thanks for reading the lengthy post, sorry it’s lengthy haha. Any advice would help.