Podcast

In part 3 of our series on Sharing Concerns with Families, Priscilla Weigel and Cindy Croft discuss the sensitive topic of talking to a family about their child’s development. This is often one of the hardest jobs an early educator will undertake but it is critically important for the child for whom early intervention can make a world of difference. We will talk about ways to share developmental information and continue building the important relationship between parent and caregiver.

Once we have gathered our information to share about a developmental concern, we need to set the stage for our conversation with the family. The ongoing partnership between the early educator, family, and child will rely on trust, confidentiality, and compassion. In this podcast, we will share some fundamental tips that will help us as we prepare to talk with the family, including when and how to hold the meeting.

In this podcast, we will begin a series on the sensitive topic of how to share developmental concerns with families. The first steps in talking to families about a developmental red flag is to have objective, nonjudgmental observations and recordings that can give them an accurate developmental picture. This is foundational to a successful conversation and will help allay some of your anxiousness as you approach families with your concerns.

In this concluding podcast on play concerns, we will look at some of the reasons a child might be ‘forgotten’ by his peers or even rebuffed when trying to join in play. Inclusion consultant Priscilla Weigel will share tools for the early educator to help the group include one another and build an atmosphere of acceptance.

Do you have children in your program who are reluctant to join others in play, or perhaps aren’t invited to join in because they seem too aloof? All children need one another to learn social competencies and to graduate to more complex social skills. So what can be done? We will discuss some scenarios for why a child might have these play issues and some strategies for easing anxiety and helping children connect with one another.