Abstract

This exploratory project worked with families of children who struggled with learning difficulties and were involved in bullying. Children’s experiences at home with their family, were discussed to understand their perceptions during adversity. To facilitate and overcome communication barriers between parent’s and children’s experiences, photo-elicitation (e.g., Einarsdottir, Dockett, & Perry, 2009), was used to capture how children and parents discuss their thoughts and ideas about family communication, bullying, and home-school life experiences. Through the use of photo elicitation, a visual word game, semi-structured interviews, and a board game, the families shared their experiences, discussed how they communicated, and considered possible ways to improve communication about difficult topics. Children and parents discussed home and school as two entirely separate spheres of their lives. Parents liked having a relationship with the school, mainly when the school was able to accommodate the needs of the families and their preferred method of communication. Children described the positive and negative experiences at school. They pointed to specific courses, teachers, types of difficulties that they had experienced. Furthermore, home was perceived as a safe place and a source of comfort for both parents and children. Parents and children seemed to approach the topic of bullying a little differently. For some parents, bullying was seen as a “part of being a child” while other parents saw it as something they needed to be “proactive about”. When parents spoke about how they communicated and supported their children, they focused on methods and strategies they used to speak to them. As per the children, they seemed to always go to their mothers if they needed help. When parents were not available children would seek assistance from other people such as a close relative or a friend. The information from this project was valuable to better understand family communication and how it related to the home and school relationship and bullying.