1. Understanding Family Dynamics: Training Techniques to Enhance Practical Application of the Family Experience 2005 OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Stephan Viehweg, ACSW, LCSW

2. Who am I?  Steve Viehweg  All around great guy  Dad of Bryce and Blaire  Husband of Jan  Social Worker  Trainer/Consultant  Value families

3. Typical Agenda  Defining and Understanding Family  Family Assessment  Family Sculpture  Building Successful Partnerships  Moving learning to practice

4. Determining Expectations  What do you need for a successful learning experience today? –Everyone is free to share –No judgment –All questions are welcome –Respect others –Our experience here is confidential –Personal responsibility for learning

5. Family Definitions Family Definitions…. “A married couple with children living in their own home” “A man and woman living with others related to them by birth (children, grandparents, aunts)” “Everyone living under one roof”  How do you define family?

6. Defining family - activity  Think back to when you were 5 years old and draw your family, as you remember it, during an evening meal  Draw a picture of your family any way you wish using crayons, markers, pens, pencils, etc. No rules – just right.  Other similar activities

7. Our Families We all come from families. Families are big, small, extended, nuclear, multi-generational, with one parent, two parents, and grandparents. We live under one roof or many. A family can be as temporary as a few weeks, or as permanent as forever. We become part of a family by birth, adoption, marriage, or from a desire for mutual support. As family members, we nurture, protect, and influence each other. Families are dynamic and are cultures unto themselves, with different values and unique ways of realizing dreams. Together, our families become the source of our rich cultural heritage and spiritual diversity. Each family has strengths that flow from individual members and from the family as a unit. Our families create neighborhoods, communities, states, and nations. From New Mexico Coalition for Children, Youth and Families and New Mexico Young Children’s Continuum, 1990

8. Workshop Content  Alternative views of family  Systems theory  Family Assessment  Communication –Listening –Wondering

9. Communicating with Families  Open-ended statements  Strategies for listening

10. Family Sculpture  Respect confidentiality  You can decline to participate  Be aware of your feelings  Take mental notes of your experience as either a participant or an observer

11. Family Sculpture Discussion  With a partner discuss your personal reactions to the Family Sculpture experience –What did you “feel”? –What surprised you the most? –What did you learn or experience that will affect your partnerships with families?

12. Encouraging Family Partnerships  Have a conversation, not an interview  Share power – let the family do the talking  Adopt an attitude of “not knowing and wanting to understand”  Ask open-ended questions with lots of pauses  Focus on family members’ strengths and successes  Encourage different views without judging them

13. Setting and Maintaining a Positive and Helpful Tone  Use positives  Relax the labels of “parent” and “professional”  Express appreciation  Meet in new places  Food  Celebrate victories  Share circumstances

14. Get more information  Internet –Parent Pages –National Network for Child Care –NICHY  Phone – list local/state resources  Print material –It Matters by Janice Fialka  Others?

15. Personal Learning Journal  With a partner, share your “learnings” from today.  Write down and share your plan and commitment to put into practice at least one idea.