Parents’ Experiences of Communication with Preschool Teachers in Sweden: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study investigates parents’ experiences of partnerships with their children’s preschool teachers in Sweden, focusing on two questions: (1) How do parents describe communication with preschool teachers, and what information about their child is valued? (2) How do parents position preschool in their child’s life? Framed through Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, the analysis examines how parents’ dispositions, values, and prior experiences shape engagement with early childhood education. Data were collected via interviews with 25 parents across three counties in western Sweden and analysed using narrative methods. Findings show that parents prioritise communication about children’s well-being and social development as central to partnership, while instructional information is largely viewed as the teacher’s domain. Preschool is primarily seen as a context for socialisation, developing norms, values, and behaviours, rather than formal academic preparation. By exploring consistencies and contradictions in parental accounts, the study offers a nuanced understanding of how habitus informs parental expectations and communication practices, highlighting the complex interplay between family dispositions and preschool engagement.