Building Genuine Relationships With Families

We know that building a partnership between parents and teachers is crucial for our little ones. It can be difficult to cross certain barriers as some teachers might not feel comfortable giving advice to parents. As a Center Director or Franchise Owner, you must first work to establish genuine relationships with your families. Establishing these will open many doors, help your center run smoothly, and quickly address/solve any issues. 

How can teachers begin building these relationships?

Three Most Important Ways to Build Genuine Relationships

One: Actively listen and openly communicate.

These two actions sound fairly simple but may be hard to do in practice. Always listen to what parents are saying and make sure you understand them before jumping to conclusions. Be responsive to their comments, address them directly before jumping into a different topic, and maintain good eye contact. An essential part of listening is understanding, so make sure to have a translator available if you need one.

On the other hand, open communication is also key. You will want to be direct with your parents as much as possible. They will appreciate knowing the entire situation, and any details might help them understand what is happening. Additionally, it is our nature to avoid delivering any concerns, so remain optimistic and discuss how you can make things better when you do this. Finally, include some helpful resources; they will be greatly appreciated. 

Two: Ask for feedback and implement changes.

You should always seek feedback, but it is not simply enough to ask and not address it. Every time you consider a comment, you build trust within your families, showing them that they are important to you and want to help them. Feedback should not be seen as a form of attack but instead something that will make your classrooms and centers better. 

Three: Make the most out of drop-off and pick-up times.

These moments are often short and brief, but their consistency will build a genuine relationship over time. During drop-off, teachers should address parents by name and ask friendly questions about the child’s weekend, mood, important information to be aware of, and others. During pick-up, communicate how their child did during an activity, if they disliked a particular meal, or how well they slept. 

Parents really value this information because it shows that their child is getting attention and love. It also helps them understand any behaviors or habits at home. Additionally, parents also appreciate any helpful resources you may have. 

What are other ways you will build genuine relationships with families at your own Casa franchise?