The Baby Whisperer
Nov. 15th, 2004 09:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpI made the difference in the life of a child today.
Oh, it was nothing major like nominating his family for Extreme Home Makeover (aka A Tearjerker Story) or anything like that. Really, we just had a good time. I don't know if I've ever heard a child laugh quite so hard. He was jumping up and down with his laughter, big mouth full of teeth wide open with joy. He laughed so hard and for so long that even his normally emotionless mother was smiling. Good times, my friends, good times.
Also, I helped this kid in my playgroup whip through a developmental assessment in about 45 minutes. He did practically everything. On the first try. He's the best. And I absolutely forbid him from turning three next month. (Because then he has to leave our program.)
Just call me The Baby Whisperer.
~//~
Sometimes I really do believe that even a poorly-trained monkey could do what I do. I mean, I drive around and spend about an hour at a time playing with little kids. It's not even real work most of the time. I read books. I play with toys. I throw babies up in the air. No problem.
But tonight I was watching Antwone Fisher (it's a total social work movie) and Antwone was walking up the stairs to his mother's apartment, and it was totally a run-down housing project. And he walked into the apartment and it could have been the apartment of any number of my families. It occurred to me that his walking into the dilapidated building was a dramatic moment, and that not everyone could just casually walk into a beaten-down housing project and deliver respect.
I'm glad that I do what I do because I firmly believe that everyone deserves good, kind, caring workers. Even if I don't know all of the latest techniques or have the strongest background in my current career, I know that I deliver quality, respectful work to all of my families. I know that I will always return phone calls, give my best effort, get things done on time, show up when I say I will, and go that extra mile. I treat all of my families the way they deserve to be treated, even if the rest of society treat them like garbage.
I'm glad I do what I do because my families deserve the best. And that's what they get.
Oh, it was nothing major like nominating his family for Extreme Home Makeover (aka A Tearjerker Story) or anything like that. Really, we just had a good time. I don't know if I've ever heard a child laugh quite so hard. He was jumping up and down with his laughter, big mouth full of teeth wide open with joy. He laughed so hard and for so long that even his normally emotionless mother was smiling. Good times, my friends, good times.
Also, I helped this kid in my playgroup whip through a developmental assessment in about 45 minutes. He did practically everything. On the first try. He's the best. And I absolutely forbid him from turning three next month. (Because then he has to leave our program.)
Just call me The Baby Whisperer.
~//~
Sometimes I really do believe that even a poorly-trained monkey could do what I do. I mean, I drive around and spend about an hour at a time playing with little kids. It's not even real work most of the time. I read books. I play with toys. I throw babies up in the air. No problem.
But tonight I was watching Antwone Fisher (it's a total social work movie) and Antwone was walking up the stairs to his mother's apartment, and it was totally a run-down housing project. And he walked into the apartment and it could have been the apartment of any number of my families. It occurred to me that his walking into the dilapidated building was a dramatic moment, and that not everyone could just casually walk into a beaten-down housing project and deliver respect.
I'm glad that I do what I do because I firmly believe that everyone deserves good, kind, caring workers. Even if I don't know all of the latest techniques or have the strongest background in my current career, I know that I deliver quality, respectful work to all of my families. I know that I will always return phone calls, give my best effort, get things done on time, show up when I say I will, and go that extra mile. I treat all of my families the way they deserve to be treated, even if the rest of society treat them like garbage.
I'm glad I do what I do because my families deserve the best. And that's what they get.
