Do you know your communication skills can impact the growth of your child care center and the overall learning outcome of the children?
Communication is an indispensable tool in every child care center. In fact, it is a major part of your daily activities. As a child care provider, you ought to maintain effective communication, not just with the children and your staff but the parents too. With effective communication, it is easier to give timely reports about the children, inform parents about upcoming events, tell them your concerns, learn their needs and concerns, and lots more.
That said, I fully understand that communication can be pretty challenging, especially when it involves a ‘crowd’ of different parents. Some parents make it quite difficult to communicate. Sometimes their busy schedule can get in the way of communication too. It takes a great deal of patience, humility, and sincere interest in the children to get through to parents. Over the years, I have come to learn that effective communication takes different shapes with different parents. Be that as it may, I must stress that effective communication must be maintained at all times.
To that end, I have rounded up 7 ways to promote effective communication with parents. I hope this helps.
- Communicate during drop-off and pick-up
While it might seem like nothing, those little chats and greetings during drop off and pick up can go a long way to ease communication between you and the parents. Sure, it is a busy time and everyone is in a hurry. It doesn’t need to be a long chat. Simply ask about their day, compliment them, chip in a few things the child did that day, and stuff like that.
- Maintain an informative website
The world has moved online. Most parents prefer to get updates from your website. They might be too busy to talk on the phone, but they can spare a few minutes to check updates on your website. You can maximize this opportunity to promote effective communication with parents. Be sure to upload timely information, especially when there is a change in event. Also, try and keep an informative blog section to keep parents abreast with happenings in the center.
- Create regular emails and newsletters
In addition to an informative website, you should consider creating weekly or monthly emails and newsletters. I prefer this method because it makes room for personal discussion. There are things you cannot put up on your website like personal information about their child. Emails and newsletters allow you to personalize the communication and engage in a more meaningful conversation. Note, do not abuse this channel else your emails and newsletter might go unread.
- Use their go-to social media platform
Who isn’t on social media today? Even with our busy schedule, we tend to find time to de-stress on social media. This makes it a good channel to get the attention of parents. First, be sure to learn of their preferred social media platform. Then, leverage the platform to check on them, give updates, and pass across vital information.
- Organize meetings and conferences
Meetings and conferences are essential from time to time. This communication method brings together all the parents and guardians for more robust and effective communication. While this may not allow for personal conversation, it goes a long way to build team spirit and communal effort. You are supposed to be a team. What better way to foster this bond and address communal issues than organizing meetings and seminars?
- Utilize posters and charts
If your walls could talk, what would they say? Well, you don’t have to guess, you can make your walls say whatever you want them to say. Posters and charts can be smartly utilized to promote effective communication with parents. As usual, simply put up some important announcement or the children’s progress. As they come in to get their children, their attention will most likely be drawn to the new poster or chart on the way. Boom! You have passed across your message without saying any word. This could also serve as communication starters because some parents might have further questions about the information on the charts or posters.
- Lastly, keep their phone number handy
This might be old but it is still a golden channel to relay timely messages to parents. Even with the above communication channels, I strongly recommend you still keep their phone numbers handy. Calling them by phone is the most effective way to know that your message was received and understood as soon as you put it out. Still, endeavor to check with the parents if it is okay to call them at work. Some parents would prefer you leave a message.
Conclusion
Communication is key in every type of relationship. This is true for parents-caregiver relationships too. Whatever you do, remember you are here to support the parents. Be patient with them and make a sincere effort to build effective communication with parents, staff, and the children.
