Meet Your Parent Squad: A Survival Guide for Educators

We don’t just welcome a new batch of children at the start of each school year — we also meet a whole new cast of parents.

Behind every parent quirk is care. Behind every question is concern. And behind every request is the same shared goal: to ensure their child feels safe, happy and ready to learn. When educators see parents as allies, communication becomes lighter, clearer and more joyful.

Think of this as your start-of-term game deck: five familiar parent archetypes, each with their own strengths, quirks and power-ups to enhance the educator-parent partnership.

Power-up for educators:

Share regular, concrete updates where possible. Photos of classroom moments, brief notes and simple explanations of routines during pick-up time will all be appreciated. Assurance works wonders. When these parents see that their child is settling in well, they feel less compelled to go down Internet rabbit holes.

Power-up for educators:

Offer early and well-organised information, such as timetables, bullet-point reminders and explicit expectations. When systems are transparent, these parents tend to relax and become steady, supportive partners.

Power-up for educators:

Keep communication short, actionable and flexible. Think checklists, bite-sized updates and quick confirmations. A little efficiency goes a long way in winning these parents’ trust.

Power-up for educators:

Invite these parents to build bridges between preschool and home, such as welcoming new families, supporting centre celebrations and conveying important messages. They can be powerful partners in strengthening preschool culture and spreading positive energy.

Power-up for educators:

Position yourself as an ally by using “we” language. Invite these parents into the classroom to observe learning in action. Highlight their child’s existing strengths and share how play, exploration and social-emotional growth support long-term development.