Why Would I Need Parent Coaching?
Part of why parenting is so challenging is that it keeps changing over time. What works brilliantly for our elementary school kids fails horribly by the time they get to middle school. And then it changes again in high school. And again in college. We have to keep growing and adapting as they grow and change, or we are lost.
How Parent Coaching can help
Sometimes, it really helps to have an objective, well educated, third party to talk to about parenting issues. Often parents disagree on certain parenting decisions, and I think that is a strength. Instead of getting into heated arguments or power struggles, I try to help parents really understand the strengths in each perspective. Ideally, the best of two opposing viewpoints can come together to create the ideal solution in a complex situation.
It is also valuable to discuss parenting issues with mental health professionals with many years of experience. Believe it or not, your parenting struggles are probably not unique. Why reinvent the wheel? Take advantage of creative and effective solutions that other families have tried before you. Ground your decisions in the latest brain science and social science research about what works.
Most importantly, please do not fall into the traps of shame, self-blame, or endless worry about your child or teenagers struggles. It does not accomplish anything. What helps is to stay grounded in the present moment and to take action. Ask for help. Learn about solutions. Move forward one small step at a time.
“The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behavior. The sign of truly great parenting is the parent’s behavior.”
