One aspect of your role as a preschool teacher is to learn about each family’s beliefs about child-rearing practices. The following steps may be helpful as you think about building relationships with each family.

• Engage in communication with family members at the beginning and end of each day about the child’s care, activities, interests, and moods.
• Communicate to family members that they are always welcome to visit or call to check on their child.
• When working with families whose parenting styles or backgrounds are different from your own, it may be helpful to seek guidance from someone who can offer insight into the family’s values and caregiving approaches.

Acknowledge, Ask, Adapt Framework

Step 1: Acknowledge

Start by recognizing that families may have different expectations, routines, and beliefs about raising children. Being open to learning and reflecting on your own perspectives is essential to this step.

Step 2: Ask

Take time to gather information about the family’s views and caregiving practices, as well as your own. The goal is to better understand where differences might exist so you can work together to prevent or resolve any misunderstandings. Building trust is important, so don’t rush this step.

Step 3: Adapt

Use the information from the previous step to address any challenges and find practical, respectful ways to support the child’s growth and well-being. This may involve adjusting routines or strategies to align more closely with the family's approach.

Source: Derman-Sparks, L. (1995). Developing culturally responsive care-giving practices: Acknowledge, ask, and adapt. In P.L. Mangione (Ed.), Infant toddler caregiving: A guide to culturally sensitive care. California Department of Education and West Ed.