Dissonance in Interactions with Parents: A Qualitative Study on Vulnerability and Trust and Implications for the Professional Development of Early Childhood Educators

The expectation of establishing an educational partnership with parents poses challenges for both parents and early childhood educators (ECEs). Structural conditions and diverging orientations often complicate cooperation between educators and parents. This exploratory qualitative interview study with 15 ECEs examines which situations in their interaction with parents they find challenging. Based on qualitative content analysis, tense situations in interactions with parents are interpreted through the lenses of vulnerability and dissonance theory. The results show that ECEs experience different dissonances, vulnerabilities, and varying forms of trust in their work with parents. While experienced ECEs report role-related tensions (dissonances), younger ECEs describe relational strains with parents. The findings highlight profession-specific challenges that are discussed in terms of their implications for ECEs’ (further) professional development.