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PCHP Early Learning Specialist Vera Roffey Shares a Memorable Moment
Anecdote of a Home Visit – Learning, Sharing, and a Story
As told by Vera Roffey at the 2015 Parent-Child Home Program Conference.
During a home visit, the 10 year-old sister of the PCHP child I was visiting said, “I am embarrassed to have my birthday party at my house.” The children and a third sibling were being raised by a single immigrant mother, and they lived in a tiny apartment with a roommate just to make ends meet.
I told her it doesn’t matter how big her home is. She is lucky to have a loving mother and a great family. I told her how I had once lived in a nice size home and after being divorced had to move to a small apartment. My son wasn’t embarrassed, but I was. Then I saw all his friends still came over and they are all still best friends today.
Fran Powell, a children’s librarian and the coordinator of the Port Washington Public Library’s Parent-Child Home Program gave me a great book to read to children in this situation, Too Tall Houses, by Gianna Marino. I have found we all have struggles to overcome, however with perseverance, education, hard work and love, we can triumph over our obstacles.