Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/creating-community-through-bonds-with-families/5022865/
What sets the very best child care centers apart? It’s the sense of community parents and children feel when they walk through the door: secure in the knowledge that in this building and among these teachers and staff members they are welcomed like members of the family or ‘welcomed with open arms.’ Creating community within your center not only keeps your current families happy, but can also become a recruiting tool as current families rave about your staff and center to their friends and colleagues.
Creating community begins with forming strong bonds with families. Listed are four tips offered by KinderCare directors that can help turn any center into the kind of place families can’t imagine their lives without:
- Communication
- Encouraging parents to drop by
- Holding center events regularly
- Helping parents to form an advisory committee.
Communication: It’s More than Hello and Goodbye
Think for a moment about the conversations you have each day with parents as they drop off and pick up their children. Good communication is more than greeting families every morning and evening. Suppose a child says, “My grandma is coming to visit!” as he leaves the center Friday night. Monday morning, be sure to ask “How was your visit with Grandma? What did you ...