I like to think of parents as allies and friends.  I also consider them colleagues, as they are really in the same business that we are, educating children.  Although they might not have the same training that we do, they are deeply invested in the lives of their children both in the present and in the future.  They may make decisions based on culture and intuition more than we do, but their intentions are pure.

It is impossible to separate the child from her home, her family, and her life outside of care.  Incorporating this fundamental belief into your practice with children will change and grow your interactions with children tremendously. This means that as teachers, we must see children in these complex contexts and remind ourselves of this unique part of our work.

There are several questions that teachers should ask themselves frequently.

1.  What does this child bring to my classroom that is unique and special?

2.  How can we celebrate the uniqueness of each child in my program?

3.  How can I include families in more meaningful ways in their child’s early care and education?

4.  How can I improve my own communications skills to better serve the families in my program?

5.  What assumptions do I make about the children in my care and by extension, their families?

6.  How can I let go of my assumptions and simply honor the families I serve?

Some of us become more forgiving as we gain experience.  Some of us become more jaded and cynical.  Try to put yourselves in the first category and add yourself to parents to create a winning combination.

Children who live in homes whose language is other than English may encounter complications when they go off to child care or later, school.  Even though the children learn to master English in no time, their parents may still be struggling to communicate in English, especially if they are new to this country.  It is much harder for adults to learn a new language and communicate effectively in that new language than it is for younger people.

Ideally, all programs would have someone on staff who speaks the language of each family served.  Ideal, yet not practical.  I am often in programs that have 10-20 different languages of origin represented and some of those languages are not commonly learned here.  As children get older, they often interpret for their parents, helping them navigate the world in English.  This is great later, but not great when the children are still so little.

The best strategy that I know for working with families who speak a language that I do not speak (if they are still in the process of learning to communicate effectively in English) is patience and increased efforts at asking questions in a variety of ways to be sure that I am understood.  I would also help them feel at ease by explaining that we are in the same boat; that I don’t speak their language confidently either (or at all).

Refrain from using “lingo” or “colloquialisms” as specialized language is even harder to understand for nonnative speakers.  It is also a good idea to follow up an oral conversation with a written recap, just to be sure that everything is understood clearly.  I guarantee that parents will appreciate all of the effort you are making on behalf of their families.

It might be interesting to find out a little about the children and families with whom you work.  Do you provide care for neighborhood children?  Do they all speak the same home language?  Are they from different areas of the city or the world?