Strengthening a family's knowledge about how children develop--what can be expected at what stage, and what parents can do to contribute positively toward their child's growth--is a critical factor in the evolving parent-child relationship. Below are strategies with which to engage families in learning about their child's development.

• Share ongoing observation and documentation of the child's behaviour with the parents
• Accentuate the positives about the child's development
• Identify and acknowledge the behaviours that result from an effective parent-child attachment and how those competencies contribute to the child's overall development. For example, a child's sense of security to explore is due to the trust forged between parent and child while the child's motivation to explore and satisfy his curiosity contributes to his intellectual development
• Seize "teachable" moments that help parents learn how to learn as well as learn how to parent
• Share with families how to keep the child's best interests in mind
• Help parents see the consequences of their own behaviour on the child's behaviour