EdUcAtOrs EdUcAtE, pArEnts pArEnt!!!

My Fellow Early Childhood Professionals, In the midst of all the information I am soaking in in the Foundations of Early Childhood class I am now able to understand some of the observations I've made in my short time working in the field. We use the words "meaningful", "supportive", "connections", "respect", "love" and lots of other words that we assume holds the same definition for us when in light of Bronfenbrenner theory, the family system theory, the life course theory, the attachment theory, these words may not hold the same meaning and definition for us. My definition of what a meaningful connection with my families and their little ones looks like, might look completely different from Druesilla's, Robin's, and Sharon's definition. Our ages, life experiences, relationships, cultural backgrounds are four of many aspects that will cause the difference in what "supportive" looks like. One of us may value independence... allowing a child to learn through his/her own mistakes, while the other might forewarn the child because of a slightly overprotective nature. Is either approach good or bad? No just different. The attachment theory states that the quality of the relationship we form with our primary caregiver is a precursor for other relationships (Theories of Development p. 40)(Keenan & Evans, 2009) and it's important to keep that in mind when referring to our parents. They parent the way their parents parented and as educators we have a duty to" respect" those family dynamics and provide activities to help children develop beyond their parents' abilities. It is not our job to "judge" parents for what they feel is the right form of parenting. I'm not making excuses for parents who clearly show no support for a child, but teachers can be hard on parents who are doing the best that they can with the resources they have. As educators we should be looking for ways to broadened that parent's resource pool and educate them as well as their child. I want us to keep in mind that WE are the trained professionals, not the parents so we should seek them out not the other way around. Annie P.