Family-Child Relationships
Authors: Lynette Magaña with Judith A. Myers-Walls, Ph.D., CFLE

Children live in families. The children you work with live part of their lives in childcare, too. They need caring and sensitive adults in their lives. Parents are usually the first people a child learns to trust. Parents and families are the most important people in children’s lives. As a childcare provider, you are important, too. If children have strong and supportive families, they probably will have a strong relationship with you as well.

Have you ever wondered….
• … why a child is so hard to calm down when a parent leaves him in your care?
• … why this same child refuses to leave when it’s time to go home?
• … why some parents don’t seem to bother saying goodbye to their child?
• … why some parents seem to have a harder time saying goodbye than the child does?
• … why some children seem to be more attached to you than their own parents?

Studies have shown that children who have loving and sensitive parents adjust better to childcare and school settings than children who don’t. Parents and families show their love and concern for their children in many ways. There are many types of families and many types of parents. All should have one thing in common—they all love and want what’s best for their children.

It is important for providers to be aware of the different types of relationships that parents and children can have. Then you may be able to help parents who seem to be having problems with their child.

This purpose of this section is to help providers understand the many kinds of family-child relationships. We believe that you can help build healthy relationships between the children in your care and their families.

Strong Families
• Divorce
     • Children’s reactions to divorce – ages and stages
       How children experience divorce
     • Stages of adjustment to divorce
     • The effect of divorce on children: What makes a difference
     • Explaining divorce to children
       Helping children cope with divorce
     • Providers talking with parents about divorce
       Working with providers during divorce
     • Visitation do's and don’ts
     • Does the child need counseling?
     • Resources
       Children and divorce: Internet resources for parents

Attachment
• Different types of parent-child relationships
• How to build a secure relationship with each child
• Secure base
• Separation anxiety

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For more information, contact Judith A. Myers-Walls, PhD, CFLE at jmyerswa@purdue.edu

Please feel free to link to, print off, redistribute, or reprint  any of these materials as long as the original credits remain intact.

Parent-Provider Relationships | Supporting Parents | Child Growth & Development | Guidance & Discipline
Children & Learning | Family-Child Relationships | Health & Safety | Making Connections

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