RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION

Relationship Reflection

All of us at sometime crave for and certainly need some social contact in our lives.  Therefore we form relationships. Relationship is important, whatever the age, whatever the nationality, whatever the sex, whatever the culture; without relationships life would seem meaningless.  Relationships bring joy, a sense of fulfillment, and can be very rewarding. There are many individuals I have positive relationships with: Excluding my children, I have special relationships with my sister, my co-workers, and parents of the children I work with

SPECIAL PEOPLE WITH WHOM I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH 

 My sister

My sister is my ‘right hand’ and we share something real. We share an emotional sense of bonding from since we were small.  Our relationship is marked by honesty, trust, giving of self, respect, open communication, and willingness to help out in any way necessary.

My co-workers

My co-workers and I share a different kind of bond.  We feel related in a sense that nothing is too private for us to share. We share experiences, meaningful connection, and we embrace our differences and see the best in each of us. We are like a family. Our relationship is based on being trustworthy, respectful, understanding, supportive, and I can call on them anytime I need a helping hand. Ms. V and Ms. M. I love you dearly, and thanks for your relationships.

Parents of the children I work with

In my everyday work environment I form relationships with the families I work with.  The goal of this relationship is to work together for the overall well being of their child. This relationship is marked by a two-way communication, a feeling of trust, sharing of goals and expectations, providing information and resources, and having opportunities to make joint decisions about the care children will receive.

Insights regarding challenges to developing and maintaining relationships:

Relationships vary between different people and different groups. Therefore it is important that to build your relationships on strong ground. Personal biases are challenges which show up often. Therefore it is important that we accept and respect each other for who or what they are regardless of race, ethnicity, or diverse backgrounds. Another challenge is finding the time to foster those relationships. Sometimes it is very difficult to find the time to share experiences and this is very unfortunate.  My personal experience gives insights into how the qualities of relationships deeply influence our everyday living. Meaningful relationship is vital and it allows us to feel connected, to feel related in a heartfelt way.

Special characteristics of these relationships that make partnerships

Two special characteristics are trust, and acceptance. Long-term relationships are based on trust. When we trust others, we are more relaxed, comfortable and willing to be ourselves without any pretenses or trying to maintain a facade of someone we’re not. Once we experience trust with others, we can be honest about our weaknesses and shortcomings because we’re confident that we will be accepted for who we are, without judgment or criticism. 

Experiences/ Impact on work as an early childhood professional

Part of my job requirements is to form partnerships with families. Those relationships can be complex because it includes many different areas; relationships with children, with families and with colleagues, and community. By involving all the above components I create a rich environment for our children and serve as a model for the children to create positive relationships with others.