What Home Means to Me

Obviously it’s important to live in a home that has a safe structure. A house that has a good foundation and isn’t infested with insects or animals. But what home really means to me is my family and the feelings I get from being part of that community. When I think of home, I immediately think of love, safety, inclusion, comfort, happiness, acceptance and belonging. There are some families who live life feeling unsafe, unloved, unhappy, unaccepted, ignored and abused. My name is Sayde. I’m 10 years old and I live with a condition called Cerebral Palsy. This condition makes moving around a little challenging, so it’s very beneficial to live in a home that’s well organized so I can move freely and always know where to find my stuff. I live with my mom and dad and my 3 siblings. Whether mom is taking me horseback riding or dad is taking me swimming, I know that they do everything they can to protect me. I always feel included when I’m at home watching my sister do cool Marvel superhero crafts, my oldest brother doing yo-yo tricks, or my funny youngest brother playing with me and making me laugh. I have two grampas but I can’t call them grandpa T because both their names start with T so I call them both grandpa. They’re both grandpa T and they both love sweets. Whenever I go to grandpa Ted’s house or he comes to ours for dinner, he always makes yummi desert and whenever I go to grandpa Tom’s he makes super perfect pancakes for me. They’re not too thick and not too thin. The sweet smell of pancakes, butter, maple syrup, and sometimes even chocolate chips or blueberries, is scrumptious! Those delicious comfort foods make me feel like I’m home where I belong. I had two grammas. I loved doing puzzles with “Grannie” because I felt loved when we did something together that we both liked to do. I often watch the Home channel with “Gramma”. It’s interesting to see how a house that isn’t organized or safe can make the people who live in it feel stressed. But when the house gets transformed, there’s less stress because it becomes a more efficient, comfortable and calm space. It becomes what I call home! Home sweet home! Because my family shows they care in so many ways and I live in a safe, organized home, I feel loved, included, supported and safe. That's what home really means to me.