Finding Joy in Parent-Child Interaction Time

I am pretty sure that I have one of the greatest jobs. As a parent educator, I have the opportunity to get to know families and walk along side them. While I don't think I could pick a favorite part of my job, I really enjoy coming along side parents and their children during parent-child interaction time.

If you have taken an Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) class then you know that our classes are built around three important components, early childhood education, parent education and parent/child interaction. Each of these components plays an important role in making ECFE unique from other programs and activities.

Parent-child interaction is all about engagement. It is an opportunity for parents to spend time with their child(ren) in a setting with activities that are designed to be developmentally appropriate. Keep reading for some tips on how to get the most out of parent-child interaction time during your ECFE class or even at home.

1. Follow your child's lead. This can be a little hard for parents to do. We often have friends who come to ECFE each week and play with the same truck or doll or the sensory table for the whole class. Parents of these kiddos might feel tempted to push their child to try a different activity or do the art projects but remember that for young children there is value in repetition.

2. Art is all about the process not the product. Art can be tough for some parents. There is paint and glue and MESS! And parents often feel like the end product needs to look a certain way. At ECFE, we know that the process of making art is more important than the end result. So if your child dives into the paint with their hands instead of the brush or has a turkey that doesn't really look like a turkey, it's okay.

3. Take time to observe your child in action. We can learn so much by taking a step back and watching our children in action. Notice what skills they are working on. How they are interacting with other children and adults. How do they react when something is difficult?

4. Practice COAL. Be Curious about what your child is doing. Be Open to what or how your child is playing. Be Accepting and Loving in your interaction with your child.

5. Put away your phone and keep your focus on your child. This one probably doesn't need much explanation!

And remember to have fun and delight in this special time with your child!