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For others, she becomes a trusted person they can open up to without fear of judgement. ",[],{"type":99,"text":392,"spans":393,"direction":373},"Sometimes, she becomes the first person who truly listens. ",[],{"type":99,"text":395,"spans":396,"direction":373},"“I always tell them there’s no dumb questions, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll find out for you.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":398,"spans":399,"direction":373},"That openness comes naturally to Flower because she understands what it feels like to navigate motherhood without enough support. ",[],{"type":401,"text":402,"spans":403,"direction":373},"heading2","“She changed my life” ",[404],{"start":117,"end":286,"type":405},"strong",{"type":99,"text":407,"spans":408,"direction":373},"Flower became a mother at a young age. At the time, she says she was struggling with strained relationships, little support, and an unhealthy relationship. “I didn’t really have people I could talk to,” she shared.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":410,"spans":411,"direction":373},"While raising her oldest daughter, Flower joined a home visiting program in her community called Samson Healthy Families. 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Years later, after hearing about the Early Childhood Wellness Program through her niece, Flower immediately felt drawn to the role.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":431,"spans":432,"direction":373},"“It felt like a full circle moment.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":434,"spans":435,"direction":373},"She thought back to herself as a young mother – I wanted to be that somebody that somebody was for me.” ",[],{"type":401,"text":437,"spans":438,"direction":373},"Building trust through lived experience",[439],{"start":117,"end":440,"type":405},39,{"type":99,"text":442,"spans":443,"direction":373},"Today, Flower draws on those lived experiences to connect with the families she supports. She understands that every parent’s situation looks different. Some visits involve attending prenatal appointments together or talking about child development. Others focus on parenting stress, relationships, mental health, or simply having someone to sit and talk with. ",[],{"type":99,"text":445,"spans":446,"direction":373},"“No two moms are the same,” she said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":448,"spans":449,"direction":373},"For Flower, relationship building is one of the most important parts of the work. She wants families to feel safe enough to be honest about what they are carrying. “I kind of step into that role for them,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t have a mother figure or an auntie figure. I try to be whatever support they need.” That often means sharing parts of her own experiences too. ",[],{"type":99,"text":451,"spans":452,"direction":373},"Flower openly talks with parents about things she learned while raising her own children, especially around asking for help and navigating stress. ",[],{"type":99,"text":454,"spans":455,"direction":373},"“I always tell moms not to be afraid to ask for help. As women, we tend to try and do everything ourselves.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":457,"spans":458,"direction":373},"Sometimes support looks practical – helping families access transportation, appointments, groceries, or community programs. Other times, it is much smaller and quieter.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":460,"spans":461,"direction":373},"“I’ve told moms before, ‘if you want to go take a shower, give me the baby and go take your time,’” ",[],{"type":99,"text":463,"spans":464,"direction":373},"Moments like that might seem small, but Flower says they can mean a lot to parents who feel overwhelmed or alone.  ",[],{"type":401,"text":466,"spans":467,"direction":373},"Watching families grow",[468],{"start":117,"end":286,"type":405},{"type":99,"text":470,"spans":471,"direction":373},"One of the visits that has stayed with Flower most involved a young mother she supported for nearly two years. When they first began meeting, the mother spoke about wanting a healthier life for herself and her child. ",[],{"type":99,"text":473,"spans":474,"direction":373},"“She wanted to go back to school, get a job, move out of an unhealthy environment, and create a better future,” Flower said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":476,"spans":477,"direction":373},"Over time, Flower watched those goals become reality. ",[],{"type":99,"text":479,"spans":480,"direction":373},"The young mother moved into her own place in town, enrolled in school, started working, and left the unhealthy relationship she had been struggling in.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":482,"spans":483,"direction":373},"During one visit, Flower sat with her while she talked about her busy schedule, schoolwork, and placement.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":485,"spans":486,"direction":373},"“I started laughing,” Flower remembered. “I said, ‘Do you realize you’re doing everything you said you wanted to do?’” ",[],{"type":99,"text":488,"spans":489,"direction":373},"The mother looked around and realized she had accomplished every goal she once talked about at her kitchen table years earlier. ",[],{"type":99,"text":491,"spans":492,"direction":373},"“That moment really stuck with me,” Flower said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":494,"spans":495,"direction":373},"For Flower, the work is not about trying to “fix” people; it’s about walking alongside families while they build the life they want for themselves. ",[],{"type":99,"text":497,"spans":498,"direction":373},"Healing doesn’t stop with one generation.",[],{"type":99,"text":500,"spans":501,"direction":373},"Flower says becoming a home visitor has also helped her reflect on her own life and parenting. Growing up, she experienced intergenerational trauma connected to residential schools. “There were no supports back then,” she said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":503,"spans":504,"direction":373},"Becoming a mother herself helped her recognize how deeply those experiences had affected the way she responded to stress and conflict.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":506,"spans":507,"direction":373},"“I wanted that trauma to stop with me,” she said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":509,"spans":510,"direction":373},"Through her work with families and what she learned through the program, she began having more open conversations with her own children. ",[],{"type":99,"text":512,"spans":513,"direction":373},"“Even though my kids are grown, they’re still my kids,” she said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":515,"spans":516,"direction":373},"Flower shared that she has sat down with her children and apologized for the moments she lost her temper when they were younger. Now, she says their relationship is built on openness, honesty, and communication.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":518,"spans":519,"direction":373},"“That healing has healed me and my children, so hopefully my grandchildren won’t have to carry that anymore.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":521,"spans":522,"direction":373},"For Flower, healing is at the heart of the work home visitors do in communities.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":524,"spans":525,"direction":373},"She believes that when families receive support early, it creates long-term change that reaches beyond one household. ",[],{"type":401,"text":527,"spans":528,"direction":373},"\"That little drop of water\"",[529],{"start":117,"end":190,"type":405},{"type":99,"text":531,"spans":532,"direction":373},"Flower describes the work of home visitors as “a little drop of water in a big pond.”  ",[],{"type":99,"text":534,"spans":535,"direction":373},"To her, every conversation, visit, gathering, or moment of support creates ripple effects that continue spreading outward. She sees that impact in the growing number of families signing themselves up for the program and inthe increase in community participation at events and gatherings. ",[],{"type":99,"text":537,"spans":538,"direction":373},"“I think people want connection again.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":540,"spans":541,"direction":373},"She also sees young parents reaching out because they want something different for their children.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":543,"spans":544,"direction":373},"“A lot of parenting skills were lost because of trauma, addiction, and everything our communities went through,” she said. “But now young parents want to learn. They want healthier relationships with their kids.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":546,"spans":547,"direction":373},"Flower believes home visitors play an important role in helping families rebuild those connections.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":549,"spans":550,"direction":373},"“If we’re there from the beginning, helping guide and support families in a good way, that can grow into healthier communities in the future.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":552,"spans":553,"direction":373},"Culture is also a major part of that work. ",[],{"type":99,"text":555,"spans":556,"direction":373},"Flower says reconnecting families with language, gatherings and cultural teachings helps strengthen identity and belonging for both parents and children. For her, the work is ultimately about creating safer and healthierfutures.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":558,"spans":559,"direction":373},"Not just for one family. ",[],{"type":99,"text":561,"spans":562,"direction":373},"But for generations. ",[],{"type":401,"text":564,"spans":565,"direction":373},"\"The dream job\"",[566],{"start":117,"end":166,"type":405},{"type":99,"text":568,"spans":569,"direction":373},"Flower describes the Early Childhood Wellness Program as more than just a workplace. “It’s a family program,” she said. ",[],{"type":99,"text":571,"spans":572,"direction":373},"Over the years, she has built close relationships not only with families in the community, but with other visitors and staff she works with.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":574,"spans":575,"direction":373},"“This is the dream job; I wake up wanting to come to work.” ",[],{"type":99,"text":577,"spans":578,"direction":373},"One of her favourite parts of the role is watching children grow from infancy into toddlers and seeing them become comfortable and excited during visits. ",[],{"type":580,"url":581,"alt":5,"copyright":5,"dimensions":582,"id":584,"edit":585},"image","https://images.prismic.io/themfi/ahBsTbK9tuLqEFPe_Image-1-copy.jpeg?auto=format,compress",{"width":353,"height":583},1920,"ahBsTbK9tuLqEFPe",{"x":117,"y":117,"zoom":118,"background":296},{"type":99,"text":587,"spans":588,"direction":373},"“Some of them call me Auntie Flower,” she laughed. ",[],{"type":99,"text":590,"spans":591,"direction":373},"For Flower, that trust means everything.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":593,"spans":594,"direction":373},"Because at the center of every visit is something she understands personally: ",[],{"type":99,"text":596,"spans":597,"direction":373},"Sometimes all it takes is one person showing up consistently, safely, and without judgement to help change the direction of someone’s life.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":599,"spans":600,"direction":373},"And now, she gets to be that person for others.  ",[],{"type":99,"text":602,"spans":603,"direction":373},"",[],{"link_type":44},[],[],{},{"link_type":44},[],[],{},{},{"page":118,"results_per_page":118,"results_size":118,"total_results_size":614,"total_pages":614,"next_page":615,"prev_page":5,"results":616,"version":851,"license":852},20,"https://themfi.cdn.prismic.io/api/v2/documents/search?ref=ahCbRhIAACIAjsJQ&q=%5B%5Bat%28document.type%2C+%22article%22%29%5D%5D&orderings=%5Bdocument.first_publication_date+desc%5D&page=2&pageSize=1&after=ag9QkBAAAN_qHkps&lang=en-ca",[617],{"id":618,"uid":619,"url":620,"type":341,"href":621,"tags":622,"first_publication_date":623,"last_publication_date":624,"slugs":625,"linked_documents":626,"lang":13,"alternate_languages":627,"data":628},"ag3N0RAAACcAG_Dy","learning-happens-through-relationship","/en/journal/learning-happens-through-relationship","https://themfi.cdn.prismic.io/api/v2/documents/search?ref=ahCbRhIAACIAjsJQ&q=%5B%5B%3Ad+%3D+at%28document.id%2C+%22ag3N0RAAACcAG_Dy%22%29+%5D%5D",[],"2026-05-20T15:30:47+0000","2026-05-22T14:50:22+0000",[619],[],[],{"title":629,"thumbnail":630,"area_of_focus":637,"program":640,"excerpt":643,"intro":647,"body":651,"push_1":842,"push_1_title":843,"push_1_description":844,"push_1_image":845,"push_2":846,"push_2_title":847,"push_2_description":848,"push_2_image":849,"seo_title":5,"seo_description":5,"seo_image":850},"\"We're bringing it back\"",{"dimensions":631,"alt":5,"copyright":5,"url":634,"id":635,"edit":636},{"width":632,"height":633},2048,1365,"https://images.prismic.io/themfi/ag3S8KYofJOwHcMC_IMG_8872.jpeg?auto=format,compress","ag3S8KYofJOwHcMC",{"x":117,"y":117,"zoom":118,"background":296},{"id":37,"type":38,"tags":638,"lang":13,"slug":40,"first_publication_date":41,"last_publication_date":42,"uid":40,"url":43,"link_type":44,"key":639,"isBroken":46},[],"90309c82-4c5d-4425-a410-9d81f2474433",{"id":254,"type":362,"tags":641,"lang":13,"slug":364,"first_publication_date":365,"last_publication_date":366,"uid":255,"url":367,"link_type":44,"key":642,"isBroken":46},[],"99a653cb-98e8-4d18-918a-cd2f048fef1a",[644],{"type":99,"text":645,"spans":646,"direction":373},"Adrianna Bonnell's Work as an Early Years Visitor",[],[648],{"type":99,"text":649,"spans":650,"direction":373},"In Membertou First Nation, Nova Scotia, Adrianna Bonnell has spent years working alongside children and families.",[],[652,655,658,661,664,667,670,673,676,681,684,687,690,693,696,699,702,705,708,711,714,719,722,725,728,731,734,737,740,743,748,752,755,758,761,764,767,770,773,776,779,783,786,789,792,795,798,801,804,807,810,813,816,819,824,827,830,833,836,839],{"type":99,"text":653,"spans":654,"direction":373},"Before becoming an Early Years Visitor, she worked in early childhood education for nearly 14 years. She taught in daycares, studied child and youth care, earned a behavioural interventions diploma and later taught Mi’kmaq Early Childhood Education at Nova Scotia Community College.",[],{"type":99,"text":656,"spans":657,"direction":373},"But even with years of experience in classrooms and education spaces, there was one thing that she kept hearing from parents that stayed with her.",[],{"type":99,"text":659,"spans":660,"direction":373},"“Did my child learn anything today?”",[],{"type":99,"text":662,"spans":663,"direction":373},"Parents would ask why their children spent so much time playing.",[],{"type":99,"text":665,"spans":666,"direction":373},"“They’d say, ‘My child only played with playdough today’ or ‘They only did puzzles or blocks.’ And I was constantly explaining that children learn through play,” Adrianna shared. “Children learn through touching, seeing, feeling, hearing, moving. That is learning.”",[],{"type":99,"text":668,"spans":669,"direction":373},"Over time, those conversations pushed her to think differently about how families learn too. When the opportunity came up to become a home visitor in her community, something clicked.",[],{"type":99,"text":671,"spans":672,"direction":373},"“This was my chance to get into the homes and really sit with families and explain why these things matter,” she said. “I could sit on the floor with parents and children together and show them what children are learning through those activities.”",[],{"type":99,"text":674,"spans":675,"direction":373},"It was about creating safe, welcoming spaces where families felt comfortable enough to ask questions, share their experiences and build confidence in themselves.",[],{"type":401,"text":677,"spans":678,"direction":373},"Learning happens through relationship",[679],{"start":117,"end":680,"type":405},37,{"type":99,"text":682,"spans":683,"direction":373},"As an Early Years Visitor, Adrianna worked with families from the prenatal stage until children reached four years old.",[],{"type":99,"text":685,"spans":686,"direction":373},"Some visits focused on child development and play-based learning. Others focused on emotional support, breastfeeding, language, culture, or simply listening.",[],{"type":99,"text":688,"spans":689,"direction":373},"Every visit looked different.",[],{"type":99,"text":691,"spans":692,"direction":373},"“You have to read the room,” she explained. “Sometimes you walk into a home and you know right away that this isn’t a toolbox card visit. This is a listening visit. Maybe a mom had a hard day. Maybe someone just needs support. You meet families where they are.”",[],{"type":99,"text":694,"spans":695,"direction":373},"That flexibility became one of the things she valued most about the role.",[],{"type":99,"text":697,"spans":698,"direction":373},"Rather than creating pressure or judgement, Adrianna focused on making families feel seen and comfortable. “I’ve always wanted visits to feel warm and welcoming,” she said. “I wanted families to feel like I was someone they could rely on.” That approach helped families feel more confident asking questions they may not have felt comfortable asking otherwise.",[],{"type":99,"text":700,"spans":701,"direction":373},"One visit she remembers clearly was with a mother who had many questions about breastfeeding. Instead of approaching the visit like a lesson or presentation, Adrianna shared her own lived experience as a mother. As a parent of five children herself, she often found ways to connect through personal stories.",[],{"type":99,"text":703,"spans":704,"direction":373},"“At the end of the visit, she told me, ‘This didn’t feel intimidating. It just felt like my friend was visiting me.’” Adrianna said.",[],{"type":99,"text":706,"spans":707,"direction":373},"By the end of the conversation, the mother had learned about milk storage, pumping, breastfeeding safety, and feeding routines without feeling overwhelmed.",[],{"type":99,"text":709,"spans":710,"direction":373},"“She didn’t even realize how much information we covered because the environment felt safe,” Adrianna said.",[],{"type":99,"text":712,"spans":713,"direction":373},"That feeling of safety is something Adrianna believes is essential to home visiting. “When people feel safe, that’s when learning happens.”",[],{"type":401,"text":715,"spans":716,"direction":373},"More than one child in the home",[717],{"start":117,"end":718,"type":405},31,{"type":99,"text":720,"spans":721,"direction":373},"For Adrianna, visits were never only about the child enrolled in the program. When she visited homes where older siblings were present, she made sure they felt included too.",[],{"type":99,"text":723,"spans":724,"direction":373},"“If I brought playdough for one child, I brought enough for everybody,” she laughed.",[],{"type":99,"text":726,"spans":727,"direction":373},"During one visit, she taught children how to make farm animals out of playdough while introducing Mi’kmaq words for each animal.",[],{"type":99,"text":729,"spans":730,"direction":373},"“We sang songs together, used language together, and learned while playing,” she said.",[],{"type":99,"text":732,"spans":733,"direction":373},"What stayed with her most from that visit was the moment with one of the older children.",[],{"type":99,"text":735,"spans":736,"direction":373},"“He gave me a hug and said, ‘you’re my best friend.’”",[],{"type":99,"text":738,"spans":739,"direction":373},"Later that day, the family shared a post on social media thanking Adrianna for helping their child feel comfortable enough to sing and participate. “That really stayed with me,” she said. “It reminded me why these visits matter.”",[],{"type":99,"text":741,"spans":742,"direction":373},"For Adrianna, moments like those show how important relationship-building is in home visiting work. “You’re not just showing up with activities. You’re building trust with the whole family.”",[],{"type":580,"url":744,"alt":5,"copyright":5,"dimensions":745,"id":746,"edit":747},"https://images.prismic.io/themfi/ag3S8KYofJOwHcME_IMG_8873.jpeg?auto=format,compress",{"width":632,"height":633},"ag3S8KYofJOwHcME",{"x":117,"y":117,"zoom":118,"background":296},{"type":401,"text":749,"spans":750,"direction":373},"The power of being heard",[751],{"start":117,"end":240,"type":405},{"type":99,"text":753,"spans":754,"direction":373},"Some of the most impactful moments Adrianna experienced as a visitor came from simply giving parents space to talk.",[],{"type":99,"text":756,"spans":757,"direction":373},"One mother shared with Adrianna that after the birth of her previous children, no one had ever asked her about her birth experience or how she was feeling emotionally. Through the home visits, she finally had space to reflect on difficult experiences she had been carrying for years.",[],{"type":99,"text":759,"spans":760,"direction":373},"“She told me she didn’t realize how healing it was just to talk about things,” Adrianna recalled.",[],{"type":99,"text":762,"spans":763,"direction":373},"That reflection was an important reminder of how much emotional support can shape a family’s experience.",[],{"type":99,"text":765,"spans":766,"direction":373},"“It’s not about being a therapist,” Adrianna explained. “It’s about creating a space where people feel seen, validated, and supported.”",[],{"type":99,"text":768,"spans":769,"direction":373},"Over time, the mother began connecting more with others in the community through gatherings and program activities.",[],{"type":99,"text":771,"spans":772,"direction":373},"“She told me she finally felt welcomed,” Adrianna said. “People were inviting her over at community events and she felt like she belonged.”",[],{"type":99,"text":774,"spans":775,"direction":373},"For Adrianna, that sense of belonging is one of the biggest goals of the work.",[],{"type":99,"text":777,"spans":778,"direction":373},"“This program helps connect families not just to resources, but to community and to each other.”",[],{"type":401,"text":780,"spans":781,"direction":373},"Bringing ceremony back",[782],{"start":117,"end":286,"type":405},{"type":99,"text":784,"spans":785,"direction":373},"While Adrianna values the development and educational side of home visiting, one of the things she feels most proud of is helping reconnect families with culture.",[],{"type":99,"text":787,"spans":788,"direction":373},"Growing up, she remembers realizing that many cultural teachings and ceremonies were no longer really talked about.",[],{"type":99,"text":790,"spans":791,"direction":373},"“When I was studying early childhood education, I wanted to learn more about Mi’kmaq ceremonies connected to children and families,” she said. “But even my grandparents told me they didn’t know much because they weren’t allowed to practice those things growing up.” That realization stayed with her.",[],{"type":99,"text":793,"spans":794,"direction":373},"Eventually, she began learning from Knowledge Keepers and community members about welcoming baby ceremonies, naming ceremonies, and walking out ceremonies. Now, through her work, she helps bring those teachings back into community spaces.",[],{"type":99,"text":796,"spans":797,"direction":373},"“We recently held walking out ceremonies in our community again,” she said. “When we called to book the space, they told us they hadn’t seen one in about 40 years.”",[],{"type":99,"text":799,"spans":800,"direction":373},"“We said, ‘We’re bringing it back.’”",[],{"type":99,"text":802,"spans":803,"direction":373},"For Adrianna, that work is deeply personal.",[],{"type":99,"text":805,"spans":806,"direction":373},"“This role brought me back to myself,” she said. “It helped me reconnect me to my culture and helped me become the most authentic version of myself.”",[],{"type":99,"text":808,"spans":809,"direction":373},"She believes those cultural connections are especially important right now as communities work to reclaim language and teachings for future generations.",[],{"type":99,"text":811,"spans":812,"direction":373},"“There are fewer and fewer fluent speakers left in our community, this is the time to reclaim who we are.”",[],{"type":99,"text":814,"spans":815,"direction":373},"Through gatherings, songs, language activities, and cultural teachings, Adrianna says she now gets to watch families pass those teachings down to their children in real time.",[],{"type":99,"text":817,"spans":818,"direction":373},"“That’s my reward. Seeing families proud of who they are and hearing children use the language. That’s everything.”",[],{"type":401,"text":820,"spans":821,"direction":373},"A role built on trust",[822],{"start":117,"end":823,"type":405},21,{"type":99,"text":825,"spans":826,"direction":373},"Today, Adrianna now supports and trains Early Years Visitors across Nova Scotia. Even though her role has changed, she still carries the lessons she learned from working directly with the families. She hopes more people come to understand the patience and relationship-building that goes into home visiting.",[],{"type":99,"text":828,"spans":829,"direction":373},"“We are people too. We’re trying our best to support families in a safe and respectful way.”",[],{"type":99,"text":831,"spans":832,"direction":373},"She knows that inviting someone into your home can feel vulnerable, especially for families navigating the impacts of intergenerational trauma or difficult past experiences. That’s why building trust remains at the center of the work.",[],{"type":99,"text":834,"spans":835,"direction":373},"“All it takes is one person to believe in somebody, Visitors can be that person.”",[],{"type":99,"text":837,"spans":838,"direction":373},"For Adrianna, the work has never been about checking boxes or delivering information, it’s about relationships. It’s about helping families feel confident. It’s about creating spaces where children feel safe. And it’s about supporting the next generation to grow up connected to their culture, language, and community..",[],{"type":99,"text":840,"spans":841,"direction":373},"“This work matters. And I really believe it’s happening at the right time, for the right reasons.”",[],{"link_type":44},[],[],{},{"link_type":44},[],[],{},{},"3f9f504","All Rights Reserved",1779473264385]