The health visitor asked my wife whether she knew much about the role of the health visitor. My wife did not. The health visitor told her all about her role. My wife listened and later recounted it to me. The key words used were: intrusive and surprising.
Neither of us had any idea that the health visitor would be keeping an eye on us/judging us until our little one is five years old. Neither did we realise that if we take our baby/toddler/infant to A&E the health visitor will be notified and we may be paid an additional visit. My wife especially liked answering the questions about her childhood, my childhood (because she's an expert on that, obviously) as well as our own relationship.
All these things and more are covered in your first conversation with this person who you don't know, have no relationship with or trust of. I'm sure she's lovely and everything, and just doing her job, but I bet she's also on a pretty hefty power trip.
Anyway, we now have a nice book from the NHS, which says "explore", "grow" and "child" on it, the last of which is presumably just in case you'd forgotten what was going on. I haven't read it yet, but I have had a quick look through. It looks good. Plus it didn't ask me any questions, which was a bonus. All the children on the cover look really happy, and none of their parents look like they've been awake since 4am dealing with a tantrum, which is probably a bit dishonest.
I think at least one of them ought to have their head cradled in their hands, a mug of steaming coffee next to them and a look of fraught horror on their faces. I'd be more inclined to believe in it then.
Perhaps that's why the health visitor asks those questions. To make us realise it's real. I think we knew that anyway (especially my wife, with under three weeks to go now it'd be quite hard for her not to realise).
