Family Cornerstones, Inc. Starfish

Program Overview

Starfish is for families with children ages prenatal to kindergarten entry and provides caring and comprehensive in-home parent education so that parents can maximize their child's future success. Starfish acknowledges family strength and recognizes the parents as the child's first and most important teacher.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

Carter is a four year-old with Sensory Processing Disorder. According to her mother, Carter has extremely high anxiety about doctors, dentists and using the bathroom. Mom spoke with her Parent Educator about not being able to even speak words related to any of these things without Carter having a meltdown. Mom requested a parent-child interaction activity for the next home visit that would focus on Carter's fears, anxieties and social-emotional development. The Parent Educator brought a role play activity including a large bath brush and pretend doctor kit. Mom and Carter role played being a vet (the word doctor was not used in order to avoid anxiety) and dentist with Carter's favorite toy horse, Chica. Carter even initiated her own scenario stating that Chica needed to be on the "bridge" (her word for the dentist chair), and her mother assisted her with placing the toy on its back on an ottoman. Mom sent her Parent Educator a picture later that day of Carter placing the horse on the toilet. She commented that the Parent Educator had opened a window for her child during the Starfish home visit. Mom informed the Parent Educator that the role play has continued throughout the week, including her and Carter giving shots to Chica. At the next home visit, Mom stated that she was able to take Carter to the dentist office and sit in the parking lot without her crying and having a meltdown.