Session 1

1. Session 1

CCS3140 Sesson 1

Session 1: Together with Families

Introduction

This photo shows a family gathered around the dinner table. The family appears to include a mother and father, a young daughter, a young son, and a grandmother.

Creatas RF/Thinkstock

There are many combinations of people who can make up a family. Some families are led by one parent, while others are led by two; some families include step-parents; some families are led by grandparents; and so on.

family: used throughout this session to refer to those people who are significant to the child in the child’s home life

Family members may include a mother, father, grandparent, step-parent, foster parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or any other people who form a common household.

Child care providers work hard to make child care experiences meaningful for each child. When the focus is on the child, it is easy to forget about the most significant influence in the child’s life—the child’s family. It is important for child care providers to remember that children do not come with a “how-to-raise-me” manual; therefore, parents and/or guardians are continuously in the process of learning. As a child care provider, you can play an important role in supporting parents and guardians in the development of their children.