Latest / Look Who's Talking / Julie Shields - Home Visitor for South Central
Transcript
- 0:00You are listening to Look Who's Talking.
- 0:17I am Cameron Minter.
- 0:18I am your co-host and our wonderful Head Start director, Jessica Coffie.
- 0:24Hey y'all.
- 0:25She is your host.
- 0:26What's going on, Jessica?
- 0:27Not much, Cam.
- 0:28What?
- 0:29I've been outside in these streets being hot.
- 0:32Is it hot?
- 0:33It is hot outside.
- 0:34What would Nellie say?
- 0:35It's getting hot in here.
- 0:36No, it is hot outside and I don't want to go back.
- 0:37It truly is, man.
- 0:38You see, I took my wig off.
- 0:39Oh my goodness.
- 0:40I can't believe.
- 0:41I gotta let my hair breathe.
- 0:42Yeah, yeah.
- 0:43You're so silly.
- 0:44It's too hot for a wig, Cam.
- 0:45I agree.
- 0:46I agree.
- 0:47You know, I don't wear them, but I imagine that's a hot hat.
- 0:50It's hot.
- 0:51It's a hot hat.
- 0:52How hot is it?
- 0:53It's hot.
- 0:54It's hot.
- 0:55It's hot.
- 0:56It's hot.
- 0:57It's a hot hat.
- 0:59However, in the wintertime, it's perfect.
- 1:02Wow.
- 1:03Wow.
- 1:04That's what's up.
- 1:05That's what's up.
- 1:06So it's summertime and I know-
- 1:07Summer, summer, summer, summertime.
- 1:08We've been out in the pools.
- 1:10Yeah.
- 1:11Getting-
- 1:12We meaning you, because I have not.
- 1:14Come on, Jessica.
- 1:15Getting in the pool.
- 1:17What's the holdup of you getting in the pool?
- 1:20So Cam, I used to work at a pool when I was a teenager for four years.
- 1:25Yeah.
- 1:26And at the end of the day, the water was milky.
- 1:29And I said, mm-mm, mm-mm.
- 1:33So did you ever watch them clean the pool?
- 1:35Uh-huh.
- 1:36So what's the process like?
- 1:40Well, there's a natural filtration system that the pool goes in, even when people are
- 1:48in there.
- 1:50However, if there's any fecal matter that got in the pool, when everyone's in, we have
- 1:58to shut the entire pool down.
- 2:00I know.
- 2:01So-
- 2:02They'll have to clean the pool.
- 2:03I just went to the pool in Georgetown and it ended abruptly because somebody threw up
- 2:12in the water.
- 2:14And we went to the last two hours so we didn't have so much crowd.
- 2:20And so it was like 15 minutes before it closed.
- 2:23And we was like, okay.
- 2:24So they was like, everybody get out.
- 2:27And they was like, no, we're done.
- 2:29We're done.
- 2:30We're done.
- 2:31Yeah.
- 2:32We used to shut the pool down if anyone did regurgitated or did number two.
- 2:39Wow.
- 2:40However, I'm sure everyone's swimming in pee.
- 2:43No doubt.
- 2:44No doubt.
- 2:45I wish there was a little, if someone's in the water, a little green or purple.
- 2:51I think I saw that in a movie or something.
- 2:53Yeah.
- 2:54Because that's not real.
- 2:55I know, right?
- 2:56That would be hilarious.
- 2:57So embarrassing.
- 2:58But it would be hilarious.
- 2:59The pool will be closed every day.
- 3:01Wow.
- 3:02I think so.
- 3:03Wow.
- 3:04I mean, but okay.
- 3:08Do you go to lakes and stuff?
- 3:12No, I went to the lake one time and saw a snake swimming and I said, I'm getting out.
- 3:20Right.
- 3:21Right.
- 3:22I need to see what's in the water.
- 3:23I can't tell you this story.
- 3:24I went, I was going on a men's Christian retreat, right?
- 3:30And I'm thinking, oh yeah, it's going to be kumbaya.
- 3:32We're going to be singing and praying at the fire and you know, and blah, blah.
- 3:38So we get there and it was really weird.
- 3:42But the main thing that got me was the next day, first of all, there was no kumbaya.
- 3:46There was no Bible study.
- 3:47There was nothing.
- 3:48We were just kicking it.
- 3:49Bunch of guys in the woods.
- 3:50I was like, okay, this.
- 3:51Sounds like a saved bachelor party.
- 3:55Kinda.
- 3:56So then the next day it was like, we're going on the water.
- 3:59I was like, okay.
- 4:02You know, black, I don't know what that means.
- 4:04That didn't interpret to me.
- 4:06So we went on the water and that's what they meant.
- 4:09We going on the water.
- 4:10We're going to be there all day and that is what we're doing.
- 4:12We out on a boat?
- 4:14Yeah, we was on a, a Pantoon.
- 4:16I think it's what they call it.
- 4:17And I was like, I have, I'm good at swimming as long as I could test the bottom.
- 4:23Right?
- 4:24So you're not dragging me out there on that, uh, tire.
- 4:27I'm not doing that.
- 4:28That, that, that inflated too.
- 4:30I'm not doing that.
- 4:31So really and truly what am I doing?
- 4:33I'm sitting by the boat looking, looking dumb, just, just, just sitting out there.
- 4:39We were out there for hours and then, you know, you got a pee and I'm like, Hey, um,
- 4:45they like, you better get in that water.
- 4:47So it wasn't one of those boats that had a downstairs and a, you know, a bunch of guys.
- 4:53First of all, it's a bunch of guys.
- 4:55We just got, we got something to get out to the water and then get back to the shore.
- 5:00So you know, I just came back from Miami a couple of weeks ago and Oh, our boat, it had
- 5:08a bedroom, a downstairs kitchen, a bathroom.
- 5:16I don't know what kind of trip you were on.
- 5:19I'm telling you the guys, they had a ball.
- 5:22Me I learned a lesson.
- 5:23I love being on a boat.
- 5:27It's a difference.
- 5:28Some are ships and some are boats.
- 5:31You gotta know what you're getting on.
- 5:35Cause it was so for me, Cam, it was so relaxing that I was like, Oh, this is the life.
- 5:44Someone bring me some grapes.
- 5:45Yeah.
- 5:46See that's, that's the life.
- 5:47That's, that's not what I went on.
- 5:49Yeah.
- 5:50Sounds like I think somebody might've raised a grill and we got some hot dogs and hamburgers,
- 5:56we was on that water all day long.
- 6:01Yeah.
- 6:02All day.
- 6:03All day.
- 6:04I need a boat with amenities.
- 6:07I guess I'm boogie too.
- 6:09I could be on a boat all day with amenities, but what you were on, that was, it sounds
- 6:15like one of them fishing boats to me.
- 6:18I mean, it was a bigger, it was a big boat, but I mean, it wasn't doing it.
- 6:21And you know, you can get out there and park and what was the shade?
- 6:25Well, we did park close to some trees, but I mean, come on man.
- 6:31Park close.
- 6:32So the boat didn't have a little.
- 6:33Yeah, it did have on the boat.
- 6:35Yeah.
- 6:36A little on the boat.
- 6:37But really if I would have did that, I should not even gone.
- 6:40You know what I'm saying?
- 6:41So I at least got in the water with my feet.
- 6:43You know what I'm saying?
- 6:44The water that you probably couldn't see your feet.
- 6:46Right.
- 6:47And the whole point of going into this was about peeing.
- 6:49If you go to the lake and get in the water, you're getting animal, you're getting human.
- 6:55Yeah, you get all that.
- 6:56I need to see where my body is going and who's around me.
- 7:00If it's not a fish, even if it's a fish, I'm swimming somewhere else.
- 7:04I know, right?
- 7:05I know, right?
- 7:06That's crazy.
- 7:07All right.
- 7:08All right.
- 7:09All right.
- 7:10I think it's time for a Coffie break.
- 7:20Okay.
- 7:21For today's Coffie break, guys, I just want to say to heal a wound, you need to stop touching
- 7:27it.
- 7:28Cam, there's several times where we get wounds, but if you continue to touch it, then it's
- 7:35going to take longer and longer to heal.
- 7:37That's right.
- 7:38And think about that in our personal lives, whether we've been wounded by a person or
- 7:45a family member, someone on the job, sometimes you have to take a step back.
- 7:50Let that thing heal over and then move on.
- 7:54That's it because you can't keep going back to the same situation expecting something
- 7:59different.
- 8:01And as long as you keep messing with that wound, that wound will never heal and it has
- 8:07the option of becoming infected.
- 8:10And we don't want that.
- 8:13Right.
- 8:14We want that to scab over and leave a mark.
- 8:17And there was a young lady on a show that I'm watching, a girl had double mastectomy
- 8:24and she said, I feel like I am not a woman that I'm maimed.
- 8:29And she said, no, you're a warrior and these are your marks to prove it.
- 8:35I like that.
- 8:36Leave it alone, let it scab.
- 8:38Oh, Michael Jackson said, leave it alone.
- 8:43You know what?
- 8:44I know, right?
- 8:45We was all deep.
- 8:47No, you mean you, we got songs in our heads and any, any little word would trigger it.
- 8:53If someone says a word, I start singing a song.
- 8:57I know, I know.
- 8:58That's crazy.
- 8:59I drive myself crazy.
- 9:01That's bad.
- 9:02Cause every day all day, I'm singing a song.
- 9:04You're crazy.
- 9:06All right.
- 9:07All right.
- 9:08Who's what's happening today on Today Show?
- 9:10Today we have with us Julie Shields, who is a home visitor in our County.
- 9:18Welcome Julie.
- 9:19Welcome to the show.
- 9:21Thank you for having me.
- 9:22So Julie has been with the agency 18 long years, 18.
- 9:28That's a long time.
- 9:29It is a long time.
- 9:30Yeah.
- 9:31So let's get into it, Julie.
- 9:34So for those who don't know what a home visitor is, can you explain your role for Head Start
- 9:40being a home visitor?
- 9:41I can.
- 9:42So our job is we're a parent educator.
- 9:45So we go into the home.
- 9:46We a lot of times it's hard for us to get people to want to let us in their homes, to,
- 9:53but once we explain to them, you know, they, a lot of people think we're there to see their
- 9:56home, what it looks like.
- 9:58Once we explain to them what we're there for, they, they feel like we're there to be their
- 10:02child's teacher.
- 10:04And that's kind of how we have to get our foot in the door.
- 10:06And then the parent starts to feel comfortable with us and then we become their support system.
- 10:12So a lot of times when you get there, you can have a whole lesson plan planned of what
- 10:17you're going to do with the kids.
- 10:19And then you may get there and mom is, you know, got things going on and she needs somebody
- 10:23to talk to.
- 10:24Yeah.
- 10:25So if mom's not healthy and she's not happy, then, you know, she can't, she can't be a
- 10:29good mom.
- 10:30Gotcha.
- 10:31So a lot of times we listen to mom, support her, you know, give her ways that, you know,
- 10:34we can support her.
- 10:36And then, you know, we try to also leave her ways that she can feel that she's the child's
- 10:43first teacher.
- 10:44Gotcha.
- 10:45So a lot of times our parents don't know appropriate milestones for children to try and reach.
- 10:52And then so a lot of times, you know, we, of course, every week we leave them an activity.
- 10:55Right.
- 10:56But a lot of times it's just small things that you see them doing at home, encouraging
- 11:01them to, you know, count or recognize the colors on their plate at supper time.
- 11:06So we're a little bit of everything.
- 11:09Gotcha.
- 11:10Really.
- 11:11Yeah.
- 11:12Now that home visitor, that is a different aspect of education that I'm, you know, I'm
- 11:16used to it now because I've been here for a minute, but I've never really understood,
- 11:21you know, a home visitor.
- 11:22Home visitor has a negative connotation associated with, I don't know, something else.
- 11:30Getting in on a kid and make sure there's no abuse or things like that.
- 11:33So a home visitor for a head start and getting in, why do we have the home visitor program
- 11:42when we have centers?
- 11:44A lot of parents aren't ready to send their children to center base.
- 11:48A lot of them, some of them don't work or maybe the center isn't there, like they work
- 11:54nights.
- 11:55I have one mom that works night shift.
- 11:56So we do an early morning visit and then she can go on, the baby's on her schedule, so
- 12:00then they can go on to bed.
- 12:02A lot of people though really just want, I'm going to say a lot of people, but most of
- 12:08my family just enjoy the support system of having, you know, somebody to come in to talk
- 12:13to.
- 12:14They don't have transportation to get out.
- 12:16So we come to them.
- 12:18But they also enjoy getting together with other parents at our socializations that we
- 12:21do twice a month.
- 12:23And it gives them time to get out, meet other moms.
- 12:27You know, we'll have, in a small community, we have moms that get together and are like,
- 12:31I didn't know your child did this.
- 12:33And they may have another home visitor.
- 12:35So it's nice for them to get together with other moms and let the kids play and socialize
- 12:38and interact.
- 12:39So we always tell them we're a little bit of everything.
- 12:43You get to bring your child, so you get the interaction that you would get in the center.
- 12:47But then you also get the one on one from a home visitor.
- 12:50And we've had teachers on the show.
- 12:54We've had family staff on the show.
- 12:56And I think the home visitor role is a merge of the two.
- 13:01Not only do they enroll the kids, share resources with families, but they also give them lesson
- 13:09plans and things to do.
- 13:11It's really, really teaching the parent how to be their child's first teacher.
- 13:16It's awesome, because like you said, some parents may not feel comfortable right up
- 13:21front releasing their child.
- 13:24And that's a process.
- 13:27That's a process you don't take lightly.
- 13:28You know what, especially after COVID, I think we saw several families that did not want
- 13:33to come back.
- 13:34Yeah, yeah.
- 13:35Also, throughout the program, we have a lot of times where parents do go back to work.
- 13:40And they're ready to go back to work.
- 13:42Usually once the kid's two, mom's kind of like, I think I'm ready to go back to work.
- 13:46So then that's when we transition them into the center.
- 13:48And we, you know, we let my always let my families know, if you ever need center base,
- 13:53then you just let me know, we'll check and see the availability.
- 13:55And then we usually transition them in as we have an opening and they are ready to go.
- 14:00So that's another good thing that we use it as a lot of times, I know people will say,
- 14:06if you'll do home base until there's an opening in center, then you know, they'll get you
- 14:10in.
- 14:11And so that's also a good time for that parent to transition and learning our program and
- 14:14the expectations.
- 14:15So then we usually have the child caught, you know, ready for their medical records
- 14:18ready to go and then they transition into the classroom.
- 14:21So tell us, do you provide services for early head start or head start?
- 14:25I'm early head start.
- 14:26So with early head start, you know, a pregnant mom could also be enrolled.
- 14:33Can you tell us a little bit about that?
- 14:35Yes.
- 14:36So with pregnant moms, we have the parents as teachers education that we give them, usually
- 14:41a handout and some.
- 14:44It usually is a description of like how they can handle stresses or, you know, their health
- 14:49and their importance of their nutrition and things like that.
- 14:52We always encourage them to get on WIC so that they can get the fruits and vegetables
- 14:56and those kind of things.
- 14:58And then we make sure they're going to their doctor visits.
- 15:01A lot of times I've been to doctor visits with my families.
- 15:04They don't have anybody to go with them.
- 15:05So I've gone with them.
- 15:08And a lot of my families that I've had in the years, sometimes I'm the first one to
- 15:11know that they're pregnant.
- 15:12So they message me and they're like, are you ready for another one?
- 15:16So that's it's cool to build the bond with a pregnant mom and then see, you know, you
- 15:21get to see them grow until they transition to head start.
- 15:25So once the mom has her baby, then what?
- 15:28Once she has the baby, then we transition when the baby six months into the child getting
- 15:33the services.
- 15:34So then it turns into the activities then go to mom.
- 15:37And a lot of our first activities are building a bond.
- 15:43So we always give them the information on the importance of building the bond with the
- 15:47baby in the beginning because we don't want to see them go through the postpartum depression.
- 15:51So we always try to give them the ways you can bond with your baby.
- 15:57And then the services then go to, you know, like I said, to the baby.
- 16:01And then they receive the activities and the lesson plans for them.
- 16:07Well, we're going to take a quick commercial break and I'm going to ask a wonderful question.
- 16:14Which one do you like better, being a teacher or a home visitor?
- 16:18Find out the answer after this break.
- 16:31This past year has highlighted the strength of Community Action Council.
- 16:35Every day our staff works together to help families recover from this crisis.
- 16:40We're educating children at home and in person, helping parents who lost their jobs, and helping
- 16:45households avoid eviction.
- 16:47Our work at Community Action Council has never been more important than it is right now.
- 16:51So why not join us?
- 16:53We have employment opportunities requiring a range of skills from entry level to advanced.
- 16:58Apply online at commaction.org.
- 17:03Community Action Council's Head Start programs are now enrolling for the 24-25 school year
- 17:07in 15 counties, including Lexington.
- 17:09Head Start offers high quality early childhood education for qualifying families with children
- 17:14between the ages of six weeks and five years old.
- 17:17Spaces are limited and filling up quickly.
- 17:19So to help ensure your child receives the Head Start advantage this year, start your
- 17:23application today by calling 859-233-4600 or go online at commaction.org.
- 17:32That's C-O-M-M Action dot O-R-G.
- 18:03You are listening to Look Who's Talking and we are talking with Julie Shields.
- 18:10She's a home visitor and before the break, I asked her which one does she like better
- 18:15and that's because it seems like they're doing the same thing but in a totally different
- 18:21way.
- 18:22So did you, which one did you like better, being in the classroom or being a mobile classroom?
- 18:28How about that?
- 18:29I guess I'm going to say home visiting even though we're still in the classrooms.
- 18:34With our flexibility that we have and when we're in the office, a lot of times we get
- 18:37pulled into the classroom to cover breaks or to help out.
- 18:39So you get your, and then you're like, oh, that's why I went home visiting.
- 18:46But I think the home visiting because I also like to work with the families and see them
- 18:50reach their goals and things that, and just guide the moms, you know, to maybe break in
- 18:57the generational lack of knowledge in parenting.
- 19:01Yeah, so you just mentioned goals.
- 19:03So tell us about some of the goals.
- 19:06You know, do you set goals with families?
- 19:08How do you implement goals within the families you work with?
- 19:15So when we're doing the phase in with the family, getting their paperwork together for
- 19:18the beginning of the year, I always ask them, you know, is there something in particular
- 19:22that you would like to see your family accomplish within the next 12 months?
- 19:26And sometimes they have a hard time answering that.
- 19:29But then where we have to answer where we see, you know, their strengths and their needs,
- 19:33then I usually try to see on their needs what maybe they need to, where I think they need
- 19:39to work on.
- 19:41But we usually pick a goal.
- 19:44And then they, a lot of times it can be anywhere from, you know, transitioning from a family
- 19:49of three to a family of four.
- 19:51Mom would like to go back to work.
- 19:53We've had some that are more involvement in their child's education.
- 19:59And that's kind of a tricky goal to not let the family know that's what their goal is.
- 20:04But it is because they've asked for help by doing the home based program.
- 20:08So I do love to see the families accomplish their goals and given them the resources to
- 20:13reach their goals.
- 20:15Gotcha.
- 20:16So did you have one?
- 20:18No, no, just that the goal setting is really an important aspect of the process and staying
- 20:28involved with the child.
- 20:30I think it's something that will spill over to once they're in kindergarten or, you know,
- 20:35beyond that they will make a connection with staying connected with their child's growth
- 20:41mentally.
- 20:45How many goals do you set with families?
- 20:48For the family goal, we start with one.
- 20:50But that's not to say that they won't accomplish that goal throughout the year.
- 20:54And then once they accomplish it, then we set another goal.
- 20:56Gotcha.
- 20:57And as far as the kids, they have three goals.
- 20:59So then we set the goals for the kids.
- 21:01And then I always try to make sure their activity matches their goal and just give the moms
- 21:06ideas that they can do at home to just help their child reach.
- 21:09A lot of times we'll print off milestones and give it to parents that they can kind
- 21:12of, oh, yeah, they do that.
- 21:13They do that.
- 21:14And I've noticed it makes them smile when they realize their child's doing the things
- 21:17that maybe the next month, you know, they're always like, oh, look, he's doing more than
- 21:22he should be.
- 21:23And I try to take credit for it.
- 21:25But in all honesty, it's so.
- 21:28So if someone came to you and said, I've heard about the home based program, but I'm a little
- 21:36leery about it.
- 21:38How would you convince them or encourage them that this is a good program to be in?
- 21:44Well, I always tell them you're going to love me.
- 21:47That's just that's just a given.
- 21:49And that's that's just an easy.
- 21:52But I always encourage them, you know, don't you want to be able to have more resources
- 21:57for them?
- 21:58You know, we can bring in some activities for you to do.
- 22:00A lot of times we'll pack up some craft materials and leave it at the house for mom to do because
- 22:04a lot of them don't have the money to buy the things that, you know, we have sitting
- 22:08back in the craft rooms.
- 22:10So but I always encourage them to give it a try.
- 22:14You know, if you don't like it, then you can, you know, you can drop any time.
- 22:18But a lot of times we have kids that are on the waitlist for center base and they're yeah,
- 22:22we'll do home base until there's an opening.
- 22:24And it always shocks the family service worker when they say we've decided to stay with home
- 22:28base.
- 22:29Oh, wow.
- 22:30So they're like, oh, OK, because I think they they didn't plan on making a friend and having
- 22:36a support system.
- 22:37Yeah.
- 22:38And a lot of times they don't have anybody in their corner, you know, telling them you
- 22:42can do this, you know, or I can help you.
- 22:45Because a lot of what you do is relationship building.
- 22:47Yes.
- 22:48Yeah, it is.
- 22:49I think that's very important for not only supporting the family and the child, but really
- 22:57teaching them as you go throughout your journey through school or through education.
- 23:05It's important for these relationships to build.
- 23:07It is.
- 23:08And for them to know they're their child's advocate.
- 23:09You know, without you, your child isn't going to get as far in their education without you
- 23:14there and being involved.
- 23:16Right.
- 23:17So in what county are you in?
- 23:21Harrison, Harrison County.
- 23:23You've been there for a while.
- 23:25And that is that is a place where we have great roots.
- 23:31Right.
- 23:32So can you talk about how community action is in that community?
- 23:38Is the name recognition and the services that we provide?
- 23:42Yes.
- 23:43Of course, a lot of people associate us with Head Start and then the other is LIPE.
- 23:49So a lot of times we as home visitors go door to door when we're looking for kids.
- 23:55We always have our flyers and we're like, you know, have you ever and always start with
- 23:58have you have you heard of community action?
- 23:59And sometimes the people who haven't heard about us are people who are new to our area.
- 24:03And so we're like, oh, OK, well, we have this program, this program.
- 24:07And then they're like, oh, we didn't have any idea that this was available to us.
- 24:12And we actually found a family door to door one year who had lived in Ohio and she had
- 24:15received Head Start services in Ohio.
- 24:17And she had no idea that Harrison County had a Head Start as well.
- 24:22So we were able to get all three of her kids enrolled into the program.
- 24:25So that and that was just a door to door by chance.
- 24:28She was sitting on the porch drinking coffee.
- 24:30So she was new to the area and we've helped her branch out and learn what obviously Head
- 24:37Start does, but LIHEAP services.
- 24:39And then we've helped her get involved with other agencies in the community.
- 24:44So if you had some last words for those who are viewing about Head Start and the positivity
- 24:57of Head Start, what would you say?
- 24:59I think you'll never be sorry with Head Start because we have the best teachers.
- 25:03We have the best.
- 25:06We're expected to be the best.
- 25:08And so you will never regret taking a chance on it and even home base because I have families
- 25:13that I've had for years who I see in town and they still come up and speak to me.
- 25:18I've had one family for seven years and they just there's a bond that you're never sorry
- 25:24for making that jump.
- 25:27So what's a day in the life look like for you?
- 25:31So we always confirm our visits the day before, you know, just make sure we're good for a
- 25:34visitor even that morning.
- 25:36We usually pack a bag with a few toys in it to keep the kids entertained, get the lesson
- 25:41plans.
- 25:42Usually we plan in the mornings or Mondays, get our lesson plans together, get our parent
- 25:48educator notes and things.
- 25:50And then you have everything all ready to go and load up the car and head out.
- 25:54And then you may be back that day.
- 25:56You may not be back that day.
- 25:58And each visit is an hour and a half.
- 26:01So we usually get there.
- 26:03How was your day?
- 26:04How was your week?
- 26:05Tell me what's going on since I've seen you last.
- 26:06And then we do catch up and then we go over the lesson plan.
- 26:12We work with the kids.
- 26:14Of course they want to play.
- 26:16I always make them do the flashcards of colors and shapes and all that stuff on our school
- 26:20rings that we have.
- 26:23And then you load up and go on to the next one.
- 26:25So you learn what public restaurants are nice while you're out.
- 26:32But it's a rewarding job because when you get there and the kids see you come in, see
- 26:38you outside, they automatically smile and start waving out the window.
- 26:43And so you're like, oh, they're happy to see you.
- 26:46Have you come in contact with any of the kiddos that you had years ago?
- 26:54I have some of theirs.
- 26:56Oh, wow.
- 26:57So you have some of your kids' kids now.
- 27:00Yes.
- 27:01Oh, that's amazing.
- 27:02One of my favorites I love to tell is we were at Texas Roadhouse Eating one night and I
- 27:07recognized a little boy right away.
- 27:08And he was like, I don't think I know you, but my mom might.
- 27:11So I was like, OK, well, you'll have to ask her.
- 27:14And so next time we went in, he was like, I asked mom.
- 27:16Yeah, she said she knew you.
- 27:18So then the next week we went in and his sister was working.
- 27:21And I was like, would you happen to be so and so's brother?
- 27:23And he was like, she's like, yeah, that's that's my brother.
- 27:26And I said, well, you probably don't remember this, but I had you.
- 27:29And she said, you're Miss Julie.
- 27:30I'll never forget you.
- 27:31And I was like, oh, that's why I love you.
- 27:36Yeah.
- 27:37And to be honest, that it takes a lot to bring people in our house.
- 27:42Jessica and I, we was having a conversation a while ago about how many people have you
- 27:48had over to your house.
- 27:50So that's a intimate setting that you are invited in.
- 27:53And so you're you're more than a teacher when you're coming into someone's house.
- 27:58You have to trust you and and enjoy your company because you're invited in their home.
- 28:03So at home visitor is building relationships in the community that will last beyond their
- 28:11child in the program.
- 28:13So kudos to you.
- 28:15Thank you.
- 28:16Kudos to the home visitor program.
- 28:19Yes.
- 28:20You got any last words for our listeners?
- 28:24You know, you might want to tell them, you know, where you work and how to get in.
- 28:30Oh, well, I can tell you that.
- 28:31How about that?
- 28:32I'm in Harrison County.
- 28:35And then, of course, if you're interested in our program, we are.
- 28:39Obviously, we're on Facebook.
- 28:42That's what I always tell people.
- 28:43Look us up on Facebook and you'll find us.
- 28:45So that's it.
- 28:47If you're interested in receiving some of these services, give us a call at eight five
- 28:51nine two three three four six zero zero.
- 28:55They will get you to where you need to be.
- 28:59Thank you, Julie, for being on the show.
- 29:01It's been a blast.
- 29:03You have been listening to Look Who's Talking.