In the setting you will have encouraged them to ask questions, seek explanations and negotiate with adults as well as children. They will have opinions and preferences which they will want to express, things which they want to do independently, and ideas which they want to investigate.
Parents need to understand how your setting approaches the development of young citizens to ensure that all the children receive consistent messages and positive reinforcement of their behaviour.
Create opportunities to pass on the following main messages to parents and carers.
Listening and talking
Conversations with children are very important. Listen carefully to what they have to say and remember to give them enough time to reply. Children need time to think about things; at times we are too quick to ask another question without giving them enough time to play their part in the conversation.
Respecting children's ideas and feelings
Children develop self-confidence by having their ideas taken seriously and their views respected. Encourage them to express themselves clearly and to explain the reasons behind their ideas and opinions.
Support children in recognising, and talking about, their feelings. It is only through recognising and understanding our own feelings that we can understand and empathise with others.
As children develop their conversation skills, encourage them to listen and look carefully when other people speak. They will learn to tell how someone feels by their tone of voice or the expression on their face.
Making choices
To become self-confident and independent, children need lots of practice in making choices and having some control over the day-to-day activities in their lives. Make sure you offer children real choices - you will lower their self-esteem by regularly over-ruling decisions that they make.
Children can choose the clothes they wear, the food they want to eat or the activity they are going to do. Respect their decisions and help them to live with the consequences of the choices they make - perhaps going out without a coat on a rainy day was not such a good idea.
Being a role model
Adults are constantly acting as role models for children. Much of what children learn - behaviour, reactions, attitudes - is reinforced by the significant adults in their lives. Parents and professionals can benefit from sharing information on how they handle different situations, both at home and in the setting, to provide consistent role models for the children in their care.
Helping children to become responsible young citizens is all part of supporting them through the growing-up process and taking their place in society.
