To say parenting is HARD is likely the grandest of all understatements these past few years. This realization leads us to follow the wise words of Mr. Rogers – “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Keep reading to learn more about a handful of amazing helpers who continue to make a difference in Tehama County.
It’s a beautiful thing when a career and passion unite. The work quietly transforms into something more than a paycheck. That’s when the magic happens.
Norma Chavez landed herself in this situation as a Bilingual Home Visitor with School Readiness/Help Me Grow. So, what’s the personal and profoundly fulfilling draw to the position? Chavez started as a parent in the program. A home visitor helped her identify her son’s needs, connect her with Far Northern services, and place him on the path to achieving critical milestones. It’s this experience that drives her dedicated efforts today.
“When working with parents, I always remember how supported I felt when my home visitor was helping me,” Chavez shared. “I was navigating my husband’s immigration, juggling my child’s extra development needs, and working full time. I love being able to pay it forward in this same position.”
It’s only logical that Chavez’s favorite aspect of her job is helping families. The special bond that develops as a result of the work offers daily doses of joy. Although each family is different and requires individualized interaction and activities, each holds a special place in her heart.
Being bilingual opened the door for countless opportunities to support our local Hispanic families. Chavez’s multilingual skillset aligned her with wonderful families who are excited to learn ways that they, too, can help their children develop and grow. By tearing the language barrier down, all families can shake many underlying fears and speak up for their children. With more than a decade under her belt, Chavez isn’t going anywhere soon. Instead, she has her sights set on furthering herself in the position.
“My goal is to continue to learn and grow as a home visitor to be able to provide the best of me while continuing to help families in our community,” said Chavez.
Ten fingers. Ten toes. It’s one of the most calming moments that offers immediate comfort. Of course, we desperately want our children to be healthy, happy, and thriving. But, it’s that instant when a parent learns otherwise that everything abruptly unravels.
Laura Burlison’s son was born with a rare condition and had open-heart surgery at only eight days old. He had a second operation several days before turning four. As a result, Burlison was continually concerned about her son’s ability to learn, develop, and grow. This fear hit hard when the doctor cautioned, “Cardiac kids typically have lower IQs.” Terrifying uncertainties and questions flooded Burlison’s brain. However, instead of leaning into the chaos, she chose to hold on to her son’s remarkable resilience.
“What I saw in our son at the time of his birth was strength, perseverance, and the ability to fight and keep on fighting,” shared Burlison.
This optimistic viewpoint allowed her to keep an open mind when she received a call from School Readiness. Although she was hesitant to enroll him in a home visiting service, she wanted to give him every possible opportunity to succeed.
The program quickly put Burlison’s worries to rest. Each week the home visitor arrived with an activity. She created a motivating atmosphere free of judgment and packed with encouragement. These visits not only supported her son’s education, but also taught Burlison how she could help her child.
Connecting with home visiting at such a young age allowed Burlison to learn about and tap into other available resources early. By the time her son entered TK, his IEP was already in place, and he was receiving services through multiple program streams. This extra boost of “just right” learning continued to fuel growth. And, in August, thanks to the mountain of supportive services from the school, Far Northern, School Readiness, and more, Burlison’s son tipped the scale. He now kept up with his peers and completed the work before him. He also had socially and emotionally developed so significantly that he exited all services and no longer needed an IEP.
Ironically, Burlison’s connection with home visiting doesn’t end here. She is employed as a Family Support Worker Supervisor with Healthy Families Tehama. That’s right. Laura Burlison now oversees those doing the heartfelt work that drastically impacted her own family. It seems only fitting that a mother who truly understands the program’s power is helping ignite those same opportunities for others.
One of Merriam-Webster’s essential meanings of the word champion reads, “Someone who fights or speaks publicly in support of a person, belief, or cause.” If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of said definition, you understand its distinct power to elevate and fuel meaningful growth.
One passionate local woman is going out of her way to serve as a parent champion. Melanie Wilson, School Readiness/Help Me Grow Director in Tehama County, supervises a home visiting program. Utilizing the Parents as Teachers curriculum affiliate model as a guide, she oversees a stellar staff who works with families in-home and virtually. Wilson spends her days advocating, appreciating, and acknowledging the special, important, and stressful role parents have in our society. Her mission is to continually deliver “judgment-free” services that inspire families to become stronger and motivate parents to interact with their children and community in new ways. “Having people in your circle who get you, understand what you are going through, and know just how hard childrearing is, helps parents deal with the stress and challenges that life inevitably brings,” shared Wilson.
Wilson’s program collaboration is second to none. She ensures her families plug into the proper outlets. Over the years, Wilson has become one of the lead connectors to NCCDI (Northern California Child Development Inc), Healthy Families Tehama (run by Tehama County Health Service Agency), and more. Thanks to Wilson’s championing and a sincerely devoted home visit staff, the program’s success stories are piling up. Home visitors continue to share accounts of parents who never played with or read to their children, that now do so daily. They’ve seen parents with minimal knowledge of how to access resources become stable, find employment, land housing, and begin teaching and interacting with their kids daily. Many parents have also embraced the program with children experiencing developmental setbacks leading to critical intervention services. As a result, the children in these families have more success in school and life.
“I love my job and serving as a supervisor to the amazing group of women who provide home visiting services in our program,” said Wilson. “They are making a lasting difference in Tehama County.”
Pregnancy to Preschool Partnership Online Interest Form: Complete this form (HERE) to be connected with local resources like Home Visiting and more.
Meet the Positive Parenting Program in Tehama County. Thanks to generous funding from Corning Promise, six local parenting professionals have been trained in Positive Parenting Program. First 5 Tehama continues to advocate with the support of our Senator Neilson for future funding to support such programs. We are grateful to leaders like Senator Nielson and local organizations like the Families Counseling Center, Northern California Child Development Inc, and Lincoln Street School for their devoted commitment to parents. Stay tuned for updates and offerings of the Positive Parenting Program in Tehama County.