Reducing Staff-Parent Tension

"When, at some point in our lives, we meet a real tragedy-which could happen to any one of us-we can react in two ways.  Obviously, we can lose hope, let ourselves slip into discouragement, into alcohol, drugs, and unending sadness.  Or else we can wake ourselves up, discover in ourselves an energy that was hidden there, and act with more clarity, more force."  - The Dalai Lama

REDUCING STAFF-PARENT TENSION

In an article in the May 1995 issue of Child Care Information Exchange, "No Surprises:  Reducing Staff-Parent Tension,"  Jim Greenman offers this advice . . .

"There are a whole range of unpleasant or frustrating experiences that will happen in child care.  Children's clothes will be lost, a child will bite or get bitten, separation will be hard, children will get sick -- again and again and again.  Parents will no doubt experience staff absences, staff turnover, program changes they do not understand, and teachers making mistakes in judgment. Good programs work hard to minimize all of these experiences, but they will happen.  Paraphrasing Marianne Moore, there are real toads in our garden.

"Much of the tension between staff and parents comes from expectations not being met and from unpleasant surprises.  If we can shape parent expectations and avoid disconcerting shocks and surprises, we will improve parent-staff relations . . .

"A 'no surprises' approach is a key element in a culture of respect and promotes partnership.  It is based on an understanding of and empathy for the circumstances of others and applies equally to the center's relationship to parents and to staff (and, of course, to children)."

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