Getting parents on board

From: Cindy Loewe
Email: cindyweed@sbcglobal.net
Date: May 23, 2006

Comments

Throughout your session at Leadership Connections, one child kept popping to the front of my mind. To be honest, he's never quite out of my mind. We've struggled with his challenging behaviors on and off for years. We have done almost everything you suggest to help him participate cooperatively in a group of 20 preschoolers. He is now 4 and will be going to kindergarten in another year. I feel we would be much more successful with this child if his parents would really work with us in helping him. They have come to meet with us, yet nothing happens beyond the exchange of information. They turn right around and revert back to guidance strategies that rely on bribery, after-the-fact punishments, and empty threats.

Do you have any suggestions on how to get a partnership going with parents so it can move beyond the "meet and talk" stage to the "let's really work together and problem solve to help this child" stage?