Early childhood education

One of the biggest problems that arise in childcaring for younger children has little to do with the children–it is a problem that arises from a lack of communication with the parents. Parenting has many of its challenges, many of which are in the subject of child disciplining and teaching one’s child social skills when neither parent is present. Children in daycare supervision do not behave in the same manner as when under parental supervision. Although this in itself is not a problem, often communicating these discrepancies to the parent can be. Many parents are defensive about their parenting style and some simply do not feel the need for communication with childcare supervisors, treating them in similar manners as other service providers such as babysitters. It is this difficulty in communication between staff and parents that presents one of the biggest obstacles in child caring.
Analysis
There are several methods in which to overcome this dilemma, stemming from forced parent involvement to encouraging participation both in the classroom and at home. Forceful communication would be mandating regular parent and staff meetings in which a child’s progress could be monitored and discussed in a neutral manner, outside of the classroom. This requirement could be outlined in initial registration requirements, stating simply that parents must agree to regular scheduled meetings wherein the progress of their child is discussed. Alternately, demanding that each parent spend a minimum number of hours in the classroom to help is another way to force direct involvement and open the doors for communication. This would allow parents to see firsthand how the daycare institute operates as well as give the children reinforcement that their parents are very much a part of their life away from home. Many parents may feel burdened by the time consumption of such meetings, however if negotiated in advance, this can be alleviated.
Another method is to offer activities that include parent participation such as small outings or providing parents with useful dialogue to help them communicate with their child at home. Interaction and interest in a child’s daycare activities shows the child that the time they spend away from the parent is just as important as time spent with the parent, away from the daycare setting. This will also the parent to understand how the child feels about daycare thus encouraging involvement in their child’s daycare.
Either method can be used alone or together, the important facet being that all possible options for communication are available and utilized. Parents should expect to be involved in their child’s daycare life and staff members should also feel comfortable with contacting parents in regards to their child’s behavior.
Conclusion

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