RU Traditional Family Event & Limitations of This Type of Event Plan

Scenario

You are asked to plan one of your program’s traditional events. You are very excited and really want to plan something that everyone will attend and enjoy. You start working on the planning using the same model as was used in previous years, but start hearing complaints from staff and family about the event and begin to wonder if doing it the way it has always been done is really the best idea.

Instructions

In the assignment, you will be creating an action plan resource for your colleagues on how to adapt the traditional family event in order to meet the diverse needs of families and create a family, culturally sensitive program.

Part One – Traditional Family Event

Traditional Family Events:

• Mother’s Day Event
• Father’s Day Event
• Grandparent’s Day
• Family Work Day

Select one traditional family event (from above) and explain the limitations of this type of event by addressing the following:

• Does the event meet the varying needs of families?
• Does the event help to create a family, culturally sensitive program?
• Why or why not?
• Provide support from readings and research.

Part Two – Alternative and Recommendations

Review the families below:

• Family lost an infant or toddler two years ago and now has a newborn and is enrolling in a program for the first time.
• Divorcing family has just been separated with a six-month old child.
• Military family with one parent being deployed and the other parent is the sole caregiver for a toddler.
• Intergenerational family with grandparents as the primary caregivers for an infant and two and half year old.
• Non-traditional family with two dads, who just adopted a toddler.

Now, identify an alternative to the selected traditional family event from Part 1 to include three (3) families above.

• Explain how the alternative event will create a family, culturally sensitive program.
• Recommend steps and/or questions that early childhood educators need to follow or address when planning a family event.
• Provide methods of communication for the family event that meets the diverse needs of family and encourages participation.

Part Three – Reflection

Write a reflection that addresses the following questions:

• Reflect on the Traditional Event
• Why did you choose that event?
• Was it the one you were most familiar with?
• Does it traditionally have the best turn out?
• In listening to families, is it the one that they seem to enjoy the most?
• Reflect on Alternative Event
• How could the alternative event that you identified increase the level of engagement for all the different families?
• How could you use the steps and questions to strengthen other family events that you program offers?
• How could these changes establish a stronger relationship with all your families?
• Reflect on Future Actions
• What other actions do you need to take to be more inclusive? With other non-traditional families?
• What other types of events or activities could be offered to foster relationships and family engagement?