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Let’s Go Home

home-visit

This headline appeared in the Denver Post earlier this year. There seems to be no doubt that home visitation by caring professionals helps to reduce the incidence of child abuse. As a home visitor, I can’t even begin to explain how powerful and effective my work can be while sitting in someone’s living room. Families share their fears, doubts and insecurities more readily in the privacy of their homes. I get to see and “feel” what life is like in their home, including barking dogs, noisy neighbors, random people walking around, and cultural uniqueness. Interesting smells, a thermostat set to 85 degrees, having to move dirty laundry to find a place to sit and occasionally scary situations can make my job difficult at times. When I focus on the parents, baby and the needs of the family, I have learned to block out outside stimuli and support the parent-child relationship on that day, in that hour and in that minute. I may not have an opportunity tomorrow to help this family. And unfortunately, tomorrow can be a scary place for some families. Let’s go home and help make life with baby an enjoyable experience.