Meeting Parents Where They Are

Meet parents where they are. And don’t judge. Be as authentic as you can.

When asked, “Are there any barriers you would like to improve upon when it comes to collaboration in early childhood settings?”, Denise Brown says, “The only barrier I can really see is in getting more parent leaders on board and having parents’ voices heard more. Parents have to learn how to trust, and I know that that’s hard for parents to do, but we have to learn how to trust. And the providers have to go in with the right mindset, not judging. Be mindful of how you conduct yourself for the people that you’re providing for, and understand that the parents are the experts. I’m so happy that I’m starting to see that change, and I’m starting to see the parents’ voices being heard. Parents are now becoming leaders and are now starting to be at the table. I’m in love with this.”

Read about Denise’s journey as a young mother and her thoughts on how parents fit into the equation of early childhood development. And learn more about Hand in Hand, A Community Framework for Early Childhood Collaboration Developed by the Model Convening Project.