Whether your child is in full-day child care, or in an early childhood or school-age education program, your connection to their caregivers or teachers is an important one. Children learn from example, so when they see positive interactions, they learn to mimic that behavior. It also helps younger children feel like they are in a safe and loving environment. There are a number of ways that you and your child can foster a great relationship with the key adults that they spend time with every day.
Pick up and drop off time:
For most parents, pick up and drop off time is usually hectic. Try and make a point to have at least one day where you are not rushed so that you can take a few moments to interact with the teacher or caregiver so you can get to know them better and learn more about how your child is doing.
Holidays:
This is a fun time to engage your child in preparing a card or some small goodies to show their appreciation to their caregiver and make the holidays more special.
Birthdays:
Children love to celebrate birthdays! Find out when your teacher’s birthday is and have your child make a special card or help you select a small gift to acknowledge the day.
School Supplies:
Teachers often purchase extra school supplies with their own money to enhance the classroom learning experience. Take a moment to ask the teacher if they need any supplements to their teaching tools and offer to provide some supplies. Some parents even go a step further and organize a “supply” drive in the middle of the year when items may be running low.
Photo with the teacher:
Younger children enjoy seeing themselves in photos. Take a photo of your child with their caregiver or teacher, print it out and display it on your fridge or in your child’s room. This also helps to strengthen their bond and it signals that the caregiver is an important person to your family.
There are many steps you can take to establish great communication with the people that spend quality time with your child every day. Caregivers and teachers work hard to make every day special for your child, so remember that it’s important that they feel acknowledged and appreciated.
At Harbor Child Care we take pride in all of our staff. Contact us today to learn more about the special people who help all of our students grow and learn.
