Working with families can be a challenge. Being an Early Childhood Educator you must be professional and able to work with ALL families you come in contact with.

Below is Standard 7 from NAEYC on working with families. Read the statement below and then answer the questions following the statement.

Standard 7: Families

The program establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with each child's family to foster children's development in all settings.

These relationships are sensitive to family composition, language, and culture. To support children's optimal learning and development, programs need to establish relationships with families based on mutual trust and respect, involve families in their children's educational growth, and encourage families to fully participate in the program.

What to look for in a program:

All families are welcome and encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the program.

Teachers and staff talk with families about their family structure and their views on childrearing and use that information to adapt the curriculum and teaching methods to the families served.

The program uses a variety of strategies to communicate with families, including family conferences, new family orientations, and individual conversations.

Program information-including policies and operating procedures-is provided in a language that families can understand.

After reading the statement above think about the families that are considered to be reticent/challenging?

What are at least two reasons a family may be reticent?

How would you address the two reasons a family may be reticent?

What strategies would you use?

How could you as an early childhood educator assist in building relationships and communicating with reticent parents?

Please remember when doing discussion questions you need to use APA.

1. Have a short introduction leading into your discussion question

2. Content where you answer the question along with cited resources/research to support what you say

3. Conclusion

4. References cited at the end of the DQ in APA