Are parent meetings necessary at kindergarten?

When a child starts attending kindergarten, the whole family enters a new daily routine. Schedules, habits and rhythms change, and many new emotions and unfamiliar situations emerge. It is natural for parents to wonder how their child is doing, who they are making friends with, what activities take place at kindergarten and, most importantly, whether their child feels happy and secure. With so many changes happening at once, the announcement of a parents’ meeting at kindergarten can prompt a very reasonable question: is such a meeting really necessary, and what value does it bring?

At Saulės Gojus Kindergarten, we believe that children grow best through connection. The relationships between children and teachers, between teachers and parents, and within the wider kindergarten community form the foundation of a child’s sense of safety, trust and joy in learning. For this reason, parent meetings are not a formality for us – they are an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and bring families and the kindergarten together as one supportive team around the child.

The first parent meeting at kindergarten is designed to help parents get to know one another. During this meeting, group rules are discussed, shared agreements are established, and upcoming educational topics and projects are introduced.

At Saulės Gojus Kindergarten, further general parent meetings are organised only in specific situations – for example, when an unexpected event occurs or when significant changes take place within the group. Ongoing communication with families usually happens through individual meetings, which focus on the child’s adaptation and personal needs. During these conversations, teachers share insights into the group’s daily life, the themes being explored, and the child’s experiences, discoveries, and moments of joy in recent weeks. It is important to note that general parent meetings are not intended for discussing individual difficulties or the behaviour of a specific child. Such matters are always addressed in a sensitive, calm, and private setting involving parents, teachers, and, where appropriate, support specialists.

Although parent meetings have their value, the strongest relationships are built through everyday communication: greeting each other in the morning, picking up the child in the afternoon, and briefly exchanging observations about the child’s emotions, joyful moments, or any sensitivities that may have been noticed. Parent meetings usually help families become familiar with the kindergarten’s culture and overall rhythm, while ongoing communication naturally develops into a continuous dialogue between teachers and families.

For this reason, Saulės Gojus places particular emphasis on individual meetings with parents. Each of these meetings has a clear purpose and focus. After the child’s first month at kindergarten, the adaptation process is discussed; in January and May, parents are invited to review their child’s development and progress; and if challenges arise or additional needs are identified, further meetings are arranged. These may involve the teacher, the family and, when necessary, support specialists.

Such conversations help parents feel more confident and reassured, knowing that their child is seen, understood and supported. They also give teachers the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the family’s values and routines, as well as the child’s temperament and more sensitive areas.

A meeting is particularly valuable when changes are taking place within the group, when a new educational project is being introduced, or when there is a need to share important community decisions and reach common agreements. In these moments, meetings give parents not only the opportunity to receive information, but also to actively participate in the life of the kindergarten community: to ask questions, connect with other parents, and feel that they, too, are part of their child’s educational world.

Ultimately, what matters most is not how often meetings take place, but whether they are meaningful. At Saulės Gojus, parent meetings are organised when they are truly needed by the group, while everyday communication with parents remains open, warm and ongoing. This approach helps create an environment in which children feel safe, parents feel heard, and teachers feel supported and trusted by the community.

At Saulės Gojus, education is a shared journey, and each meeting is an opportunity to continue that journey together.