I don’t know about anyone else but I honestly don’t know where 2018 went. Sometimes I feel like life is passing me by in a blur but then I look back at the events and achievements of 2018 and I realise that I wasn’t in a blur, I was just very busy! As many of you know, I work full time for the ambulance service, run my own business and have 3 children , so being busy is pretty much par for the course.
2018 has been an exciting year but also a worrying one too. My lovely mum spent much of late 2017 and 2018 very unwell. My mum being poorly really made me appreciate everything that she (and my dad too) do for us and how much I rely on her, not only for help with childcare but also for my emotional well being. I’m very close to my mum and the thought of her being unwell was so upsetting, I just wanted to make her better but I couldn’t and that was so hard to deal with as I’m used to helping people and making them feel better! Thankfully, following a heart operation at Broadgreen in August she is on the mend and returning to her normal self, despite the slight setback of a nasty fall recently. My appreciation for our wonderful NHS was enhanced greatly following the fantastic care she received and I’m so grateful that they have given me back my mum.
2018 was also the year that our eldest child chose to sit his 11+ and St Anselms exams. The secondary school system on the Wirral (in my opinion) is quite archaic but Harry wanted to do the exams. He made the decision that he wanted to attend one of these secondary schools and we fully supported him in this decision. Without going into too much detail, our Harry is a unique child, he sees the world through different eyes and I definitely think he has been on this planet before in some other time era. Studying does not come easy to him but my word he put the work in, and although it was tough at times, he did it. To see the immense of amount of pride he felt for himself when he found out he had passed both exams was magical. The boost to his self esteem and confidence was priceless and it made all the stress and worry worth it. Now I will just have the anxiety of him going off to secondary school in September 2019, I’m still planning on walking my baby to school on his first day at secondary school, that’s ok, isn’t it?!
Grace joined a new gymnastics club and can now do a back flip. I have a mixture of feeling very proud of her and feeling terrified when she flips in the middle of the front room, worrying about the possibility of breaks and sprains!
2018 was also the year that Charlie announced when he is older he will be living on the Orkney Islands and pursuing his dream of becoming an author. His first book is already under way, Ill let you all know when it’s published!
2018 has at times seen me struggle with parenthood, every day brings with it a new challenge and I have never been ashamed to admit that I find this whole motherhood thing really hard work. I’m a realist and don’t believe in telling people that I enjoy being a mum every second of every day because I don’t. However, I wouldn’t change a thing and throughout 2018 my kids have continued to drive me crazy, they’ve made me cry, they’ve made me laugh and quite simply they have filled me with immense pride, love and frustration!
Mini First Aid Wirral has continued to build and expand over 2018; I have thoroughly enjoyed delivering my classes and meeting lots of new people along the way. I absolutely love Mini First Aid and the pleasure I get from passing on the knowledge and skills I have gained over the past 19 years as a paramedic is amazing. If people can come away from a class feeling more confident about administering first aid to their children then I feel like I’ve done my job well. In 2019 I want to continue to grow Mini First Aid and reach even more people, I want everyone to feel confident in first aid and to give people the tools and knowledge to empower them. 2018 has seen me struggle to find a balance between my business and my job, if I’m not in work, I’m delivering and planning classes or running around after the mini Dodd’s. Luckily I have a very fabulous dad who is more than happy to go around the Wirral putting up posters and leaving flyers but I really feel that 2019 is the year that I will have to make a big decision. I love my job as a paramedic and I have worked really hard to get where I am but to devote more time to Mini First Aid, my new passion, I would like to reduce my hours in the NHS. This is a huge decision for me to make, doing it though, would allow me not only more time for my business but also more time for my family and at the end of the day that’s what is so important.
Having worked in a big organisation for the past 19 years, I’ve found owning and running a business a huge shock to the system. Delivering classes, I love. I have no nerves when it comes to talking about and teaching first aid. It’s a subject I have a lot of experience in and something that I am very passionate about. Ask me to network though or promote my business and I struggle. Outside of my classes I find it very hard to “sell” myself and this is definitely something I want to work on in 2019. Confidence, confidence, confidence.
So as we embark on a New Year I want to say a huge, heartfelt thanks to everyone who has attended a class over the last year, without your support I simply would not be able to do what I love doing. Mini First Aid Wirral has grown out of my absolute passion for first aid and my awareness that people knowing what to do really can make a huge difference, I promise you, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Its hard work but I’m so proud of what I have achieved so far and with a lot more hard work, time, commitment and positivity I’m looking forward to moving forward and growing in 2019.
Happy New Year xxx
