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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
One
of the most important components of quality child
care is positive communication between the provider
and the parent. Communication though, is not always
easy because we think of it in terms of meaningful
discussions and intelligent conversations. But if
we look at communication as William Ross did in his
famous quotation, "Words are the best medium of
exchange of thoughts and ideas between people",
we see it is not really complicated at all. It is
simply a matter of a few words here and there.
The words most commonly used with regards to positive
communication between a provider and a parent are:
-
Mutual respect
-
Trust
-
Cooperation
Providers
want and deserve respect for the work they do. Their
job is one of the most important in our society for
they are tending to the needs of our young. Their work
is tedious - and the responsibility they bear is enormous.
* Parents also deserve respect - both in their
role as a working parent and in the way they raise
their children. The guilt they carry for leaving their
child's care in the hands of someone else is stressful,
as is their constant worrying about their child's
well-being.
* Trust! Parents trust a provider to teach
their child the basics, to be warm and affectionate,
to ensure their child is safe and happy. Providers
trust parents to keep them informed on their child's
well-being, to pick their child up on time, and to
pay for their services on time.
* It is the cooperation portion of the four simple
words that demands the most work. It takes effort
to talk to each other, especially at day's end when
everyone is tired. But saying just a few simple words
can open up worlds of conversation. And conversation
is a way of expressing thoughts and ideas, even problems.
A few simple words like "How are things going?", "Janet
is so happy here." Or, "Gee, I'm looking forward to
payday (hint hint) so I can get some new toys for
the kids," breach a code of silence that could work
against all the hopes and dreams one has for the child.
So, perhaps just for tomorrow, take that second and
speak just four little words. Provider - parent, it
doesn't matter who speaks first. What matters is that
you talk.
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