You can’t overstate the impact families have on their children. When little learners come to a childcare center or early school experience, they bring a mind full of what their families do, what their families have taught them or demonstrated in front of them.
This is true even for infants. Family is everything.
For an ECE teacher or school director to offer the best education and experience to the children in their care, they need to include the families. They are your students’ whole world.
But maintaining relationships with parents and guardians is challenging. Early childhood is full of misconceptions, for one thing. “We still hear things like ‘you’re just babysitting’ from time to time,” says Mary Muhs, Dean of Education at Rasmussen University and author of Family Engagement in Early Childhood Settings: Quick Guide.
She explains that early childhood teachers learn about brain development, social and emotional development, early literacy and curriculum planning and so much more.
On top of all that—ECE teachers and directors also need to work with each child’s family, educating them about child development while accommodating their needs.
So, you can imagine why many early childhood educators don’t get around to engaging the family members the way they’d like. Between preparing the activities, learning objectives and spaces like the lunch tables or play structure, working with children all day, and trying to continue their own learning in ECE, childcare professionals can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day.
“It takes so much knowledge, expertise and experience to work in this field,” Muhs says.
But, family engagement is one of those things where putting in the work up front can really lighten the work (or the stress) down the road. As any ECE director will tell you, family involvement is paramount to your success—and the children’s.
What is family engagement in early childhood education?
Family engagement in early education refers to a collaborative process between classroom teachers and their students’ parents, guardians or caretakers. Effective family engagement aligns classroom activities and objectives with families’ own goals and priorities for their children, increasing family satisfaction with your program.
“When you’re interacting with the families in your program, it has to be more than just, ‘This is how we do things in our program.’ It’s more of a, ‘We do this in our program; how does that fit within your family?’” Muhs says.
Oftentimes, early childhood education providers are the first non-family adults in a child’s life. So, not only are the children themselves typically unsure of what to expect while they’re in your care—their parents and are often in the same spot. Especially first-time parents and caregivers.
But, the more you prioritize family engagement, the more confident your program’s children and families (and you) will become along the way.
“Children perform better in the classroom when the families are involved,” says Deidra Boodoo, ECE Professor at Rasmussen University. “The school begins to feel more like home to the child if the families are visible at the early education site.”
9 Tips for engaging families in early childhood education
If your ECE center can create opportunities for families to get involved, whether that’s an open house, a picnic or allowing family members to come in and read a story—amazing!
But if not, if all you have to work with is drop-off and pick-up—you can still use some of these tips to enhance the connection between your student’s families and the work you do.
Here’s how.
1. Establish a partnership early on
“When you first meet a family, set up some time to talk about their child,” Muhs says. “The relationship that you build from that moment will set the stage for everything else going forward.”
It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone when family participation in early childhood involves teachers and guardians butting heads. All parties need to work toward shared child development goals. And these goal-oriented relationships begin from the very first moment a classroom teacher or ECE program director is introduced to a new family.
Establish as much trust as you can right from the start.
“Your first meeting will set the stage for when you have a challenging conversation to have with them, and you might have to bring up something sensitive,” Muhs says. “You’ll have already established a relationship, and you’ll know how they’re going to react.”
2. Demonstrate professionalism in every interaction
Parents and families are trusting you with their most precious gifts: their babies. They need—and deserve—to know they’ve made the right decision by enrolling in your program, pretty much every time they arrive.
“Be prepared when meeting with families,” Boodoo says. “If you have a meeting with a family member, be on time, review the information, have all your information ready and up-to-date to share with the families.”
Think of each interaction with parents and guardians as a chance to show them that you are organized and capable and worthy of the trust they place in you. It may sound simple, but those impressions go a long way!
3. Work with your families’ needs and concerns
Some family requests or worries are easy to accommodate. Maybe a child needs a certain toy at nap time or has dietary constraints. Most teachers are used to incorporating those needs.
But sometimes, families come to you with requests or concerns that you aren’t sure how to react to.
“It’s a challenge!” Muhs says, “Sometimes ECE directors or educators just think we’ve never done things that way before. But if you consider the issue, you can weigh the pros and cons.”
Sometimes there will be legal reasons or logistical reasons you can’t do something as families might want. But sometimes, it’s just not your normal process, and it’s very worthwhile to be flexible.
“I remember working with a family who was very worried that their one-year-old child wasn’t getting enough to eat,” Muhs recalls. The program encouraged children to self-feed using fingers and utensils, and a parent was frustrated because in her culture, adults would hand feed their children past that age, to ensure proper nutrition.
“She worried that since he was used to being spoon-fed, he would be confused and not eat enough,” Muhs says.
From all her education in early childhood development, Muhs knew that learning how to self-feed is important for fine motor development as well as fostering independence and confidence. “But after explaining that, I said that we absolutely understood her concerns and we came up with a plan to make sure he’d be well fed,” Muhs says.
“We had the teacher sit next to him at mealtimes and feed him with a spoon at first. It wasn’t hard since the teachers usually sit with the kids anyway,” Muhs explains. “But we’d also give him a spoon to hold and practice. He saw the other kids using spoons and wanted to try.”
It took a few months, Muhs says, but after a while, the little boy pushed the spoon away when the teachers attempted to feed him. “He wanted to do it himself. And by then, his family could see he wasn’t starving or going without. And by honoring their tradition and preferences, we built a strong relationship between that family and our program.”
4. Share your expertise with families
Most families are experts on their own children, but they may not be experts in early childhood education. It’s normal for families to have difficulties navigating their children’s development, simply because there’s a lot to deal with.
Present yourself as a resource. One way to do this is to share insight and advice when you need to tell families about incidents or behavior issues. “When a situation comes up, like biting, the educator should be ready to let the family know that this is normal for the child’s age,” says Boodoo.
Caregivers might feel shame, surprise or worry that there’s something wrong with their child. And they might be totally at a loss for how to change the behavior.
“It is important for educators to understand child development, so when there is a problem, or the families have unrealistic expectations, the educator can fall back on knowledge to educate the families,” Boodoo says.
Since child development involves understanding how our brains grow, it’s a far better basis for your practices working with kids than simply doing what your parents or teachers did with you as a child.
5. Know when to defer
Your background, education and career have all equipped you with a solid understanding of young children’s developmental needs. And, when the situation calls for it, sharing your expertise with families can benefit everyone.
But there will inevitably be times when a parent or guardian has considered your professional input and decides against your recommendations. As frustrating as that may be for you, arguing with a child’s family will only prove counterproductive.
“Parents are the number one teacher,” Muhs says. “They’re the most important teacher in their child’s lives. We are secondary.”
“Sometimes, we get so involved with the family or the child, or we get so connected to a child, that, inadvertently, we kind of take on the idea that we know what’s best for this child,” Muhs says. “And, although we may have some ideas, and we’ve got the educational background to give us some support, it’s not our decision.”
Help your students’ families feel supported when they talk to you. If they disregard your advice or expertise, do your best to support what they want.
6. Always be friendly
This one may seem obvious, but it’s also easy to overlook. Working with children—especially young children and toddlers—can wear out the nerves of even the most Zen, relaxed people.
But, no matter how exhausted, frustrated or frazzled you feel during your workday, it’s important to put on a friendly face and treat family members with warm encouragement.
“Just smiling is rule number one,” Muhs says. “Look like you’re happy to be there, even if the day was very stressful for you. Parents want to know their children are in the care of somebody who is pleasant and happy and not stressed.”
When the families see an attentive, smiling teacher who greets them and honors their concerns, it’s easy for them to see you doing the same with their beloved child. Even if it feels hard to keep a smile on your face after an exhausting day, remaining friendly will make your work easier in the long run.
7. Compliment parents and families on what they do well
Family engagement involves building relationships. It’s easy for caregivers to feel judged or found wanting when it comes to parenting.
Counter that tendency by encouraging families to continue doing what they do well.
“Let parents know that you think they’re doing a good job, even for the tiniest things that they’re doing well,” says Muhs. “They get their child to childcare every single day. Their child is clean, dressed, comes in with a skip in their step and is happy to be there. Fantastic. That’s an accomplishment.”
Remember that families are typically going through a great deal behind the scenes. “They’re doing great as a parent,” Muhs says. “Helping them see that they’re doing well with their kids is part of building that relationship.”
8. Share classroom victories, big and small
Every family wants to see their child achieve success in school. From building social skills to learning the alphabet, each new achievement throughout a child’s education gives their family something to celebrate.
Aside from pursuing academic success, families also want reassurance that you are giving their child individualized attention. And they won’t know about all the observation and nurturing you’re doing unless you share with them.
Early education providers should make a point of letting families know about the meaningful ways in which they’re interacting with each child. Maybe that’s telling parents about a new favorite song kids learned in the classroom and sharing the lyrics so families can sing together when they’re at home, as Muhs suggests.
"It takes a lot of pressure off of a parent to know that you’ve made a connection with their child,” she adds.
This may take a conscious effort, especially if family engagement doesn’t come naturally to you. But, remember, families don’t get to see everything that happens in the classroom. Things like sing-alongs and story times can be exciting, new adventures to parents. They want to hear about the little things their child does.
“Families can get the idea that educators are just providing care--not education--to their children,” says Boodoo. This can be especially true for the youngest children. “Providing the families with information on knowledge gained in the day, will help families to see that early educators do more.”
And, while the point of sharing this information isn’t completely self-serving, the fact remains that keeping parents informed of their children’s progress will give them a greater appreciation for all your hard work. Grab some of that shine!
9. Take an interest in family routines and habits
One of the best ways you can encourage families—and positive outcomes—in your classroom is by creating a learning environment that complements the children’s unique home lives.
This helps lessen the blow of “culture shock” children may feel when acclimating to a school routine.
Boodoo suggests considering the child’s home life and implementing similarities when possible. “Parents will feel more comfortable when the child’s care routine is adhered to, which, in turn, can strengthen the relationship with the families, creating harmony in the classroom.”
Muhs recommends asking families about their routines during your first interactions with them. Her advice is to ask plenty of questions about the child and find out exactly what a normal day in their life looks like.
"Say, ‘Tell me about your child. Tell me about a typical Saturday morning at your house. What is a bedtime routine that you have? Tell me what you enjoy most about your child.’ Ask questions to really get to know their child, but really, to also know their parenting,” Muhs says.
Try to learn how they parent and what they’re worried about. “That will really set the stage for them,” Muhs says.
Working to help families feel connected to you builds strong relationships that serve as a foundation for the children’s learning and your own success in your ECE career.
ECE knowledge and experience are worth pursuing
Family engagement represents a critical component of Rasmussen’s Child Development Associate (CDA) program.2
Understanding the impact of family members and how to build connections as an ECE teacher is just part of what students learn in a CDA® program. You’ll also learn strategies for creating successful early childhood systems to support children from diverse backgrounds in achieving their educational and developmental goals.
Interested in learning more? Check out our articles, “ Is Earning a Child Development Associate Credential Worth It?” and " Early Childhood Mental Health: 8 Things ECE Professionals Should Know".
The Early Childhood Education programs at Rasmussen University are not designed to meet, and do not meet, the educational requirements for licensure to teach in public preschools, or kindergarten, elementary or secondary schools in any state. The Rasmussen University Early Childhood Education programs are not approved by any state agency that licenses teachers. Before enrolling, it is important to understand all of the licensure eligibility standards for a desired career by consulting the appropriate state and school/facility requirements.
Child Development Associate and CDA are registered trademarks of the Council for Professional Recognition
1The Early Childhood Education programs at Rasmussen University are not designed to meet, and do not meet, the educational requirements for licensure to teach in public preschools, or kindergarten, elementary or secondary schools in any state. The Rasmussen University Early Childhood Education programs are not approved by any state agency that licenses teachers. Before enrolling, it is important to understand all of the licensure eligibility standards for a desired career by consulting the appropriate state and school/facility requirements.
2Rasmussen University’s Early Childhood Certificate program contains the following courses, which provide the educational prerequisites for the CDA® credential: EEC1202, EEC1700, EEC1735. Additional CDA® Credential eligibility requirements apply. Please consult the CDA eligibility requirements of the Council for Professional Recognition for further details.
