«Jeg savner barnet mitt». Møter mellom somaliske mødre og barnehagen

Abstract

The focus of this article is the establishment and development of trust between Somali mothers and educators in Norwegian kindergartens. Qualitative interviews with five Somali mothers and four educators were conducted, aiming to raise awareness and achieve a relation of trust amongst the educators and mothers with a minority background. Using critical theory as a lens, the study shows a negotiation process between the mothers and the educators, where elements of sharing, adapting and belonging became important. The mothers went through a process of adaption to the Norwegian kindergarten. The article argues that educators should focus more on mutual dialogue rather than informing monologue in their communication with parents and that both sides have to be open to mutual change.