A child’s defiant behavior isn’t about you.
A parent’s “baggage” while navigating school in regards to their child’s developmental needs isn’t about you.
When building relationships with parents and families we need to exercise our exclusive ability as humans to be empathetic, engage genuinely and think critically about a solution.
When we make their actions, behaviors and thought processes about US we fail the child, and we fail the parent.
When we turn an already difficult and sensitive situation – which we so frequently encounter- into an opportunity to showboat our opinions and experiences, or downplay another’s we fail as humans.
We need to recognize when we are contributing to the problem, rather than sincerely working toward a solution for those we serve. When we aren’t willing to step outside of our own agendas we fail to follow the child, and we fail to serve humanity.
