Setting Clear Expectations
Setting clear expectations will help children and their families understand how you run your program and eliminate any misunderstandings that could arise. It helps keep everyone informed and working together in the children’s best interest.
For example, we know that mornings can be a busy time for everyone! To help mornings progress smoothly, you may choose to keep drop-offs brief. To communicate this expectation with families, you must explain your reasoning to them and help them develop a good morning drop-off routine. This will help alleviate congestion and allow you time to greet each child and family without disrupting the program routine.
If attendance tracking is part of your program, tell parents that signing in is an expectation. Be sure to have everything on hand to make this process easy. Pens and the attendance sheet on a clipboard should be visible and accessible, showing that you respect the parent’s time.
If you want your children to arrive prepared for the day, create a communication system to let parents know what is needed and when. The bulletin board, notes in a cubby or messages sent by phone are helpful for this purpose.
The goal is to have everyone working together as a team.