Children Thrive When Families Are Engaged in Their Early Learning Program

When families are active participants in their infants and toddlers early learning programs, everyone wins! But we know parents are busy and have lots of challenges, such as inflexible work hours or balancing the needs of other family members, that may be barriers to their involvement with their child’s learning and care program. Or some parents may not know what parent engagement really means,  that they are expected to be involved in their child’s program or understand why family engagement is encouraged and beneficial to their young child.

So, what does “parent engagement” really mean? When we talk about family engagement, we are referring to parents and/or family members working with their early learning program staff to create inclusive, mutually supportive, respectful, responsive, and interactive relationships that enhance and support their children’s development, learning and well-being.

To help explain the benefits of becoming more engaged in your young child’s learning and care program, and for some suggestions on how parents can increase their involvement, we turned to the experts: Georgia’s early childhood education and care providers!

Here’s what they had to say about why it’s important for parents to become more engaged and to establish mutually supportive relationships with their child’s care providers:

The Harvard Graduate School of Education conducted research that supports Okunoren-Meadows’ statement. It found that with active parental involvement, children are more likely to succeed in all aspects of their growth, including social, cognitive, academic, and emotional development.

But it’s not just children who benefit from these relationships. Parents who take an active role in their child’s learning by creating strong partnerships with their child’s caregivers are able to provide more support for their learning at home, feel empowered and better advocate for their child, realize overall improved family well-being, and feel confident that their child has all the support they need to develop to their full potential and thrive later in school and life.

Tips from Child Care Providers to Become an Engaged Parent:

All of the child care providers who contributed to this article agreed that one very important thing a parent can do to build a relationship with their early learning program is to spend time in your child’s classroom.

Kristi Cameron, Co-Leader of The Nest Nursery School in Atlanta, summed it up nicely: “We all have a desire to be seen and heard, and this kind of attention is essential for the healthy development of young children. Spending time with your child and their classmates at school is a good way to see and hear your child, in a setting where they spend so many hours of their day away from you.”

Okunoren-Meadows emphasized that one of the best ways parents can be involved is to ask their child's teacher questions that helps them support their teacher and shows interest in their program and are not only about their child. For instance, “Do you have an unfunded wish list? Would you like me to ask a community helper to read a story for your upcoming theme? How can I support your classroom during the upcoming party? Do you need help recruiting volunteers for anything? Do you need my help for [an activity]?”

She also encourages parents to do something that costs nothing but creates a lot of value. Okunoren-Meadows shared, “Sometimes a fantastic way to show support is just saying ‘Hey Ms. X, I appreciate you and all that you have done for my family. Prior to my child starting at your school, they were having a hard time expressing thoughts, now they are very verbal and I've noticed xxxx.’ Sharing anecdotes is involvement because it shows you are paying attention.”

“Being a working parent and staying involved in your child's early learning environment can be a challenge,” said Fox. “But there are several creative ways to overcome this challenge and set up a great relationship with your child's provider.”

Other suggestions to assist in building parent-staff relationships include:

• Serve as a chaperone for field trips or provide an extra pair of hands during classroom activities.

• For parents short on time, support "teacher appreciation days" by sending in breakfast or lunch for the staff. In turn, providers will feel encouraged, and positive energy radiates, benefitting everyone, sometimes directly benefitting the child. 

• Volunteer: While time in the classroom is important, it isn’t the only thing you can provide. 

  • Ask about donating décor donations or classroom supplies

  • Offer to lead a holiday party or fundraiser

  • Help prepare for classroom activities and save your provider some time by making playdough or cutting out materials at home.

• Get to know your child's teacher: Ask your teachers to fill out a “favorites list” and learn their favorite flower, candy, coffee, books, etc.  Next time you are out, pick up a little something to brighten their day. 

• Plan ahead for events: Add important parent-teacher conferences, school meetings, parties, and other events to your schedule and show up if you can. Attending, or having a family member attend, events will allow your child to see the relationship you have with their teacher while also letting the teacher/program know that you value their time and expertise.

What if your child’s early learning program does not offer ways for you to be involved or place importance on two-way communication or relationships? Talk with your provider directly about becoming more engaged in your child’s learning and share your ideas on how to make it happen.