Relationships are important to me because I need a strong support system behind me to help celebrate with me in times of joy, and help me cope in times of need. I have made a collage of the people in my life that are important to me and that I have strong relationships with. This collage has pictures of my mom, dad, brother, friends, and one of my past classes. In order to maintain positive relationships the lines of communication must remain open. If something is bothering me or I have a concern I always address it calmly and as soon as possible so anger doesn’t build up. A challenge to developing and maintaining relationships is not having an open mind. As discussed in this week’s video presentation bias’ can have a large impact on the way me think, act, and feel. It is important to be open minded when meeting new people and forming relationships. My picture with a past class represents a partnership. I made sure I tried to build a relationship with each of my children and their families in order for us to work together for the common goal of their child’s education and success. Past experiences with relationships and partnerships impact my work as an effective Early Childhood professional by learning from past experiences and using best practices to continue to build positive relationships and partnerships.