COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS

National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter

Christine M. Todd
Human Development Specialist
Cooperative Extension
University of Illinois

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As you begin the new year, think about how you might involve parents in the lives of their children. Imagine what it must be like for parents. They drop their child off at 7:30 a.m. and don't see the child again until 5 or 6 p.m. When they do get together, everyone is tired. This often hinders meaningful conversation.

Even under the best of circumstances, children have trouble telling parents about their day. So much has happened that it is hard for them to remember individual activities. And the more limited vocabularies and experiences of younger children often make descriptions confusing or too brief. In contrast, older children often resent questioning by parents and are less likely to describe their day spontaneously.

As tired parents pick up tired kids, it is not always evident that parents want to know what is going on with their child. Here are some ways you can support their need for feedback.

1. Distribute a brief newsletter listing the activities of the week, upcoming events, etc.

2. Post a list of the day's activities on the wall. Display the children's projects under the poster.

3. Send a note about each child home once a week. Briefly describe an activity the child enjoyed. Talk about some of the friends the child has made. Mention one nice thing the child has done. It doesn't have to be long, and it means so much to parents to get personal feedback. Focusing on the positive will help to strengthen your relationship with parents. If parents trust you, they will be more likely to work with you if any problems occur. It can also be helpful to list a question for the parent to ask the child. For example, you may write "Ask Julie about the song she made up today." This will help foster two-way communication between parents and children.

4. Schedule a brief conference with parents early in the year to let them know how things are going and to give them an opportunity to ask questions.

5. Publish a list of resources for parents. Many organization offer free or low-cost pamphlets for parents on topics such as child development, discipline, nutrition, child safety, dealing with divorce, etc. You may also want to get a few of the publications and put them in a rack.

Child care providers have entered into a partnership with parents to raise today's children. Be sure to include this important "partner" in your program!