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"No man ever became great by imitation ." –Samuel Johnson

TIPS FOR TALKING WITH PARENTS

In the July 2002 issue of Child Care Information Exchange, Eileen Eisenberg offered advice on talking with parents in "First Steps to Talking with Families and Staff." One set of suggestions by Eisenberg fell into the category "Be Familiar":

"Address family members by their first names (if culturally appropriate).  'Hello Clarice, it's great to see you today.' 'How's your cold, Betty? Try and stay warm today.' Simple daily encounters enable a director to watch for meaningful changes that will surface to affect the lives of children and families.

"Walk into the classrooms daily and observe the children. You will be amazed at how many times a situation will present itself when you will be able to reflect to a family member or teacher what you saw.  A concerned mom calls to see show her toddler son is dealing with separation. You can ease her mind with an honest comment, 'I just saw Jack playing at the water table -- he is having so much fun!' 

The entire Eisenberg article can be found in the "Article Archives" at www.ChildCareExchange.com. Once you are in the Archives, search using the name "Eisenberg".

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