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Resource mom builds families one by one
© St. Petersburg Times Check out the April 21 issue of People magazine, the one with Pfc. Jessica Lynch on the cover. Lynch is in good company. Because on page 137, you can read about another hero, Angelita Rodriguez.
Rodriguez might not have fought in Iraq, but she's fighting just as hard in Pasco County. Instead of tanks and guns, her weapons are home visits and encouraging words. Rodriguez, 27, is a "resource mom" for Healthy Families Pasco. The nonprofit agency is paid for by private donations and taxpayer money. It aims to prevent child abuse by teaching parenting and life skills to those most at risk, sometimes even before a baby's arrival. The program also works with dads. A T-shirt hanging inside the gray house-like office building in Trilby lists things that "real men" do. "These people want to be good parents," Rodriguez says. "They just lack the resources." Rodriguez ended up in People when staffers there called Healthy Families America in Chicago in search of a resource mom to feature. "They wanted someone who did not have a healthy childhood who is helping other children," Rodriguez says. She fits the profile. Until a few years ago, her life was like a long episode of Cops. Lots of arguing. A pregnancy at 17. A marriage to a man who called her names in front of their two young sons and was arrested on domestic abuse charges. A church that didn't offer support but instead shamed her not being a submissive wife. In 2001, she divorced her husband. She stopped going to church. But she still has faith. And she has found salvation in helping other families avoid the kind of life she had. "I'm enjoying every minute of my life now," she says. Rodriguez makes about 15 house calls a week in which she counsels parents on practical matters such as teething and birth control, which the agency calls "baby spacing." Thursday is one of her good days as she travels to a modular-style home tucked behind a shopping center in Zephyrhills. The 19-year-old mother of two waits for her on the lanai, with a 4-month-old on her hip and a Siberian husky at her side. The 3-year-old girl, vying for attention, shows off her Easter basket and Barbie coloring book. The mother escorts Rodriguez into a spotless home, decorated with artwork of American Indians and memorabilia from her fiance's football days at Kansas State University. The family is happy to let a photographer snap pictures but doesn't want their names printed. Rodriguez starts by asking the woman about her progress on getting a high school diploma. She says she is doing well but is nervous about taking the test. Rodriguez tells her a tutor will visit soon to help her prepare. The mom smiles and proudly reminds Rodriguez that she recently achieved another one of her goals: getting a driver's license. Meanwhile, the baby kicks on a blanket. Rodriguez has the mother hold up a toy to make sure the baby can reach for it, a skill that 4-month-olds should have mastered. The baby grabs at the teething ring and then at the stuffed Pooh bear. The mother responds with a smile, something Rodriguez stresses. "Every time she reaches for the toy and sees a smile, that's encouragement to her," Rodriguez tells the mother. This baby is ahead of her peers. She rolls over with ease and is trying to crawl. With her mother holding her, she can even stand. Rodriguez asks the mother about her fiance's job search. He got laid off from a Tampa company and has prospects at Wal-Mart and as a staffer at an agency that works with at-risk boys. Rodriguez offers encouragement and tells the mom to surround herself with positive people. She also gives her a booklet on child safety. During the visit, Rodriguez also makes sure the baby is up to date on her vaccinations. This is one of her more rewarding visits. Other parents are less advanced than this one. One client had six children and a filthy house. Rodriguez remains non-judgmental. Her goal is to connect with the clients and offer help. After the visit, Rodriguez pulls out her cell phone and calls her new husband, a construction worker. He adores her. They sometimes argue, but these are the ups and downs of a normal relationship. After one spat, her son asked whether he would leave them. No, she recalls him saying. A good marriage takes work. -- Lisa Buie is the editor of the central/east edition of the Pasco Times. You can reach her at (813) 909-4604 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4604. Her e-mail address is buie@sptimes.com
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