10 Tips for Talking With Families About Difficult Topics

If you work with young children, bringing up difficult topics with families is a challenging but necessary part of the job. Whether you need to talk about a behavior challenge, a developmental concern, or a potential history of trauma, it’s important to provide the best and most sensitive support you can.

Adapted from the popular guidebook Unpacking the Infant–Toddler Pyramid Model, this infographic offers some good tips on how to have conversations with families about specific concerns and support options.

Also, keep in mind that a variety of factors, including cultural stigma about a certain diag­nosis or previous experience with health care providers or early learning programs, can affect a family’s reaction to difficult topics of conversation. They may be relieved, anxious, sad, shocked, or hesitant to accept your concern. Focusing on listening and learning while sharing information is key. Remember that it takes time and practice to develop the skills to have positive conversations with families about challenging topics.

Read more from this book: See 19 Co-Regulation Tips for Addressing Young Children’s Behavior!

Unpacking the Infant–Toddler Pyramid Model
A Practical Guide for Teachers and Providers
By Amy Hunter, MSW, LICSW, Mary Louise Hemmeter, Ph.D., Kathryn M. Bigelow, Ph.D., & Neal M. Horen, Ph.D.

“This isn’t a book to read once and put down. This one will soon become dog-eared! Teachers, professional development providers, program leaders, and others will repeatedly draw on the book’s checklists, practice tips, resource links, and thought-provoking vignettes.”—Marilou Hyson, Ph.D., Consultant, Early Childhood Development and Education