2018 Spring Kansas Child

with Baby
LISTEN
Family
Conversations
SHARE
Hold your baby in a position that allows her to make eye
contact with you while you recite nursery rhymes or sing songs.
Use exaggerated facial expressions and vocalizations, and
notice how she intently watches your face and mouth. If you do
something she seems to enjoy, do it again!
Celebrate vocal play! Your baby is exploring his voice, his
lips, and his tongue, just like he explores his fingers and toes.
Make sounds with him to demonstrate low and high, soft and
loud, even nonvocal sounds such as raspberries and tongueclicking.
Don’t worry about bothering the people next to you …
chances are that those sweet sounds will bring a smile to their
faces and memories of special times with their own children.
When your baby smiles, coos, or babbles, consider this an
invitation! Respond to her by saying things like, “I hear you!
Tell me more!” or “You got my attention – let’s play!” This is a
foundation for conversational turn-taking skills.
Share books and toys with your baby. Use simple
language with gestures to describe how you are playing, e.g.,
“Shake, shake, shake!” with a rattle; “Up! Down!” with a ball;
“Look! Bird!” and point to pictures in a book. When your baby
points at something, be sure to affirm his action and build his
vocabulary skills by giving him the word for it. “Truck! You
found the truck!”
Talk with your baby about familiar routines as you do
them. Daily events like snack time, bath time, getting dressed,
diaper changes, and trips to the grocery store provide perfect
opportunities to engage and connect with your baby, expand her
vocabulary, and help her to explore her world!
And the phone? Use it if you must – but only to share in a
pretend conversation with baby!
reduced play skills, behavioral problems, and childhood obesity.
The evidence of these side effects is so great that the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends that from birth to 18 months,
children have zero screen time (with the one exception of video
chatting).
Parents, take heed of these recommendations! I assure you,
your children will get plenty of screen time in their lives. Use this
precious time when they are totally dependent on you to teach
them the art and joy of interpersonal communication.
Above are a few simple things you can do to connect with your
babies anywhere, anytime – no electronics required! n
I have had the opportunity to be a parent in some difficult
conversations. I have also been on the other side of those
conversations as a teacher. I have worked with families who
have children with special needs as well as parents of typically
developing students, where I have needed to be a part of a
difficult conversation. Sometimes it was about behaviors that
needed attention. Other
times the conversations
were more significant,
such as dealing with
learning differences and
needed interventions for
student success.
No matter which
side you are on, some
conversations are just
difficult.
As a preschool teacher,
I start the year focusing
on the most important
part of teacher–parent
relationships --
communication. I make a
commitment to regularly
share with parents and ask
parents to commit to open
communication with me.
Most of my interactions with parents are positive
and encouraging. However, there are always those
“other” conversations.
My first rule of thumb is to NEVER surprise a
parent or catch them off guard. I start a conversation
with them at the first sign of concern, instead of
waiting and just and hoping things get better.
I am careful not to under- or overreport
concerns, but instead, just communicate the
facts. Parents will either listen and understand,
or they may deny. If they are listening and asking
questions, I try to be honest without going into
too much detail. An overwhelmed parent can
be a concern, too. A natural tendency for some
parents is to deny there is a problem. That is
understandable. I try to be patient with parents as
they hear news that might be difficult.
BETH REEDER
Teacher, Trainer
and Consultant
Beth Reeder has been a float for
preschools, classroom teacher in
public education, and in middle
management for Head Start and
Rainbows United. She is currently
teaching 3- and 4-year-old children
for Wichita Collegiate School. Beth
has a training and consultation
business, Make A Difference
Training, where she trains early
childhood professionals in a threestate
area. She also teaches for
Butler Community College.
FACTS
HONEST
UNDER-
STAND
In addition to the conversations I have with parents, I
am careful to keep records that include complete and accurate
documentation. When sharing concerns with parents it is
important to make sure there is good documentation of what
I have seen or experienced with a student. There have been
times that I have taken pictures of the student, so the parents
can see what I’m seeing. With the appropriated documentation
many parents will, in time, come to understand concerns. n
www.ks.childcareaware.org Kansas Child 13