Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/developing-meaningful-relationships-with-families/5013063/
This fall during a staff in-service day at one of the child care centers where I do staff training, I was struck by the frustration the staff were expressing about the children's parents. Phrases like "They just don't!" and "We need to make them!"were uttered again and again. There were concerns about neglect of the children's grooming and health care, the number of hours the children were left at the center beyond the parents' work shift, the lack of communication about important information, and inconsistent follow through with behavior management.As I listened, it occurred to me that the tone of negativity and urge toward punitive consequences was something we have worked hard to overcome in our interactions with children. I pointed this out to the group, acknowledging that these might be instinctive reactions, but as professionals we've learned to replace judging and labeling children with efforts to understand the source of their behavior.
Rather than punish, we seek to help children with their self-awareness, skill development, expressions of respect, and negotiating know-how. When we learn to sharpen our looking and listening, and cultivate a disposition of respect and curiosity towards children, we find ourselves learning and improving our relationships with them. Isn't ...