Families as Learning Environments

When you think about how much time children spend with their families, a consideration of how that time is used is critical. As you get to know the families of the children with whom you work, an important question to ask is: How does your family spend time together? Rather than ask about how much time families spend together, which may be threatening to already stressed parents, a question about family activities will be comfortable and will give you a picture of the child's home life.

Research on Everyday Family Activities.

Studies (Henderson & Berla, 1996; Moles, 1992) of families whose children experience success in school found the following aspects in their home life:

• A daily family routine that includes a sharing of household chores, consistent bedtimes and times to get up, meals together, and quiet places and time for study or reading
• Monitoring of children's activities, including TV watching, neighborhood play, and arrangements for child care, especially care before and after school
• Modeling the value of learning, self-discipline, and hard work through family conversations and adult modeling and demonstrations that success comes from working hard, studying, and using the library
• Setting high but reasonable expectations for achievement with goals that are appropriate for the children's age and development, as well as recognition of talents and achievements
• Encouraging children's efforts and progress in school, including a relationship with teachers and other staff, communication about the importance of education, and provision of support and interest in schoolwork
• Reading, writing, and discussions among family members so that literacy, in all its forms, is part of the daily family interactions
• Using community resources for family needs, including sports and recreational opportunities, instruction and entertainment related to the arts, inclusion of other role models and mentors, and access to libraries and museums

When parents interact with their children, such as spending time together in activities on the weekend or socializing together at mealtimes, they can significantly influence the learning of their children. Knowing how difficult it is for many contemporary families to have that kind of time together adds a challenge to our multiple roles as early childhood educators. As family advocates and educators, we need to share the research information. As child advocates and educators, we want to support the family's efforts and be sensitive to the diversity of their situations. The research confirms the critical role of families in the growth and development of children, which says to us that we need to do all we can to learn about families and to work in partnership with them. The new generation of evidence about the family's importance will remind us over and over that we need to understand today's families—their stresses, their organizations, their issues, and their strengths. The more we can support families in their roles in children's lives, the better the lives of children will be.