Staff Spotlight: Janet!
When Janet first heard the word “Respite” at a school presentation four years ago, she was confused. “Where I am from, I have never heard about a program like this,” she recalled. At the time, she was a mother of four living in a new area. The concept of a safe place to leave her child so she could tend to basic needs seemed almost too good to be true.
With no transportation and her youngest child in tow, even mundane tasks like showering or buying groceries felt overwhelming. “I didn’t feel safe going with my child with all of my things and walking back,” she admitted. When she learned Family Relief Nursery could offer her a three-hour break while her son stayed in a nurturing environment, she couldn’t wait to get started. She scheduled a visit to the nursery and, as she puts it, “I fell in love.”
The support started exactly where Janet needed it most. Her Outreach worker became a lifeline, setting aside diapers, wipes, and essential resources for Janet and her family. But the true transformation began when the teachers at Respite noticed something Janet hadn’t: her son was showing signs of a language delay. Staff didn’t just note the issue, they took action, helping Janet fill out the necessary forms and connecting her with EC Cares. By the time her son turned two, he was enrolled in FRN’s Therapeutic Early Childhood Program (TECP).
The changes were remarkable. “He started talking with other kids and communicating more,” Janet shared. For the first time, after raising three other children, Janet understood the profound importance of early education. “FRN was a path for us to immerse ourselves in this marvelous world,” she said.
That path led somewhere unexpected. Inspired by the services her son received, Janet began to wonder if she could do more. In 2022, with FRN’s help, she took the leap and enrolled in at Lane Community College. This past summer, she graduated from the Early Learning Education program.
But Janet’s story doesn’t end with her degree. Last year, FRN offered her a position as an Outreach Specialist, bringing her journey full circle. Today, instead of just receiving support, she gets to be the one providing it. “My perspective now is different,” she explained. “Before, I was on the side where I was able to receive so much support. Now I feel prepared and empowered to give all of these services to our families.”
Janet works tirelessly to empower families with the tools they need to be prosperous and resilient. She corrects a common misconception about FRN whenever she can: “It’s not a daycare. It’s a therapeutic class.” She believes deeply that if children are shown the value of discipline, love and emotional control at an early age, they will grow into healthy adults. “If we continue to give kids all the tools they need, we are not going to have wounded adults. We will raise children that won’t have to recover from their childhood.”
