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Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to sit down and discuss how your child is adjusting to the environment. It is important to develop a good relationship with your child’s teacher, so that you can communicate with them effectively throughout the year. It is good to be able to work out problem areas at home that may be carrying over into the classroom. To help prepare you for your parent-teacher conference, here are the top 15 questions to have handy.

1.) How is Day Care going so far?

This question is an easy ice-breaker to open with. It allows the teacher to better explain the program, and the different activities that go on in a typical day.

2.) Is my child adjusting well with day care?

This is a key question to ask early-on in the conference. It is important to know whether or not your child is happy, and whether or not it is a good fit for him or her. You want to know exactly how your child is adjusting right from the start. If necessary, discuss behavioral issues.

3.) How is my child interacting with the other kids?

For many children, daycare may be their first time interacting regularly with other children and authority figures. Find out how your child is reacting to the change.

4.) Are there any social issues I need to worry about?

Find out how your child is relating to his/her peers. Is your son or daughter branching out and making friends? Are there ways to get him/her more involved with the activities to make friends?

5.) Who are my child’s friends?

Find out how comfortable your child is with one-on-one friendships, or in groups. Learning how your child socializes in school may help you create friendships outside of the classroom.

6.) What is my child’s favorite part of day care?

Have the teacher provide examples of things your child enjoys doing while at day care. It is a good indication of how aware they are  to your child’s needs. Some activities may even be replicated at home.

7.) How do you discipline?

Find out how the teacher deals with bad behavior. Everybody handles discipline in different ways. Ensure that the teacher’s approach is similar to your own.

8.) Does my child follow directions well?

Is your child cleaning up after themselves, or sharing with other children? Ask the teacher to provide examples of routine activities and how your child adjusts to it.

9.) Does my child share?

Learning to share is a huge part or early childhood development. Be sure to find out whether your child is sharing things such as toys, books, and art supplies. This is a new step especially for only children.

10.) Is my child being bullied or bullying anyone?

Bullying can occur at any age, find out if your child is being bullied or bullying anyone. Talk to the teacher about ways to stop it immediately.

11.) Is my child ready for kindergarten?

If your child is at the age to take the next big step into kindergarten, ask the teacher for her honest opinion. Find out if your child needs more time to develop basic skills. How does your child compare to peers?

12.) Does my child ask questions?

This is a good way to hear about your child’s interests and what they are curious about. Find out what they may or may not understand within the classroom.

13.) Is there anything I can do at home to help?

The teacher may recommend ways that you can help your child build skills in certain areas and activities.

14.) How can we stay in touch?

Find out how your child’s teacher prefers to stay in touch, whether it be email, phone calls, text messages, etc. You can also suggest a follow-up conference later on in the year.