My first thought of summer takes me back to childhood memories. Every year, my older brother would throw a pool party at our house to celebrate the end of the school year. All of his classmates and their siblings would come over to play basketball, swim in the pool, jump on the trampoline, and ride bikes.

Owning a martial arts school in a small town has been part of my life for almost 10 years. When the business started off with just a handful of students, it seemed simple enough to listen to requests and find a way for everyone to be content.

I have a stepson who just turned 14, is a freshman, and enrolled in a new school. Last year I counseled him to begin washing his face, pay more attention to his hair, and quit wadding up his clean clothes in his backpack.

Most aestheticians chose their profession because they like working with people and are, by nature, nurturers. In fact, helping others through customer service is the most common reason this career path was so enticing to a majority of professionals. Most just want to make a difference in people’s lives and, through aesthetics, have found their path.