Creating Effective Communication with Families

After more than 22 years in early childhood education, I’ve learnt that knowing the theory and feeling confident enough to put it into practice are two very different things.

Each week, I’m going to share one practical idea to make the hard parts of educating a little easier.

Nothing complicated. Just practical things I’ve learnt from doing the job, mentoring educators and working alongside children and families.

And I want to start with one of the most important relationships we have as educators: our relationship with families.

One of the most important relationships you’ll develop as an educator isn’t just with the children.

It’s with their parents and carers.

And I believe the earlier you start building that relationship, the easier everything that follows becomes.

Don’t wait until there’s a problem before you start talking.

Say hello. Ask a question. Remember something they told you yesterday. Share something their child did.

Think of it as building a friendship.

Because one day you may need to have a difficult conversation. And that conversation is very different when you already have a relationship built on trust.

This is one of the simplest things you can change tomorrow.

At pick up, instead of:

“Jackson had a great day today. He had a big lunch and didn’t want a rest.”

Try:

“Jackson had a really productive day. After lunch, he spent almost twenty minutes building a massive, his word, tower out of magnetic blocks with Fred. There was some pretty dramatic role play happening too.”

Now Jackson’s parent can picture his day.

They know you noticed him. They have something to ask him about when they get home.

That little bit of detail completely changes the conversation.

Of course, some days in early childhood are completely bonkers.

By pick up time you can be standing there thinking:

“What did Jackson actually do today?”

So make notes.

Nothing elaborate.

A funny comment. Something a child spent a long time working on. A new friendship. Something they were proud of.

Those little reminders give you something meaningful to share when their family arrives.

And if your team shares those observations with each other, even better.

A parent should feel that the whole team knows their child, not just their primary educator.

Eventually, you’re going to have a conversation that’s harder.

Perhaps a child has been biting.

Perhaps you’ve noticed something about their development.

Perhaps there’s been behaviour you need to discuss.

Those conversations are never particularly comfortable.

But imagine the difference if you’ve already spent weeks telling that parent about the funny things their child said, the tower they built, the new friend they made and the things they’re learning.

You’re not approaching a stranger with difficult news.

You’re talking to someone with whom you’ve already built trust.

That groundwork matters.

Not every conversation needs to be about education.

Find something you connect over.

Food. Sport. A television show. Coffee. Whatever it happens to be.

We spend so much time thinking about relationship building with children that sometimes we forget we can use exactly the same human skills with adults.

Talk. Listen. Remember things. Be interested.

The communication becomes easier because the relationship becomes easier.

Choose one family at pick up.

Instead of saying:

“They had a good day.”

Tell them one specific thing their child did.

Give them the detail.

Tell them the little story.

Then see where the conversation goes.

Sometimes building a strong relationship with a family starts with one really good conversation.

Louis Bell
Founder, Praxibel
The Confident Educator