What is Parent Coaching?
Parents of little ones (ages 2 to 12+) know that a child can melt your heart one minute, but bring you to exasperation the next. With so much energy, curiosity, and the assertiveness of a tiny tyrant, toddlers (and preteens!) can make daily tasks feel like you’re pushing the same boulder uphill every day.
Every stage of child development has its own unique set of parenting challenges. Parents may encounter difficult times during transition periods such as the start of elementary school, the birth of a new sibling, periods of family conflict, loss, or divorce, or just plain old growing pains. Even if problems seem “typical”, you don’t need to struggle alone. Refining your parenting skills can help you to navigate these rough patches with more harmony and less money in the swear jar.
If your child is particularly spirited, emotional, energetic, defiant, sensitive, aggressive, unique, controlling, difficult (or all of the above), being a parent can be particularly challenging. You might even be wondering if your child’s behaviour is “normal”, if something is wrong with them, or if something is amiss with your parenting style. Perhaps everything you’ve read or tried just doesn’t seem to work. It might be puzzling to feel so stuck, especially if your other children don’t act this way.
Please consider Parent Coaching if…
- Everything feels like a struggle, from mealtime to bedtime
- Your child is defiant, aggressive, difficult to get along, or has big emotional reactions
- “No!” is your child’s favourite word, and cooperation takes enormous energy or creativity on your part
- You dread daycare or school pickup because it means the temper tantrums and whining are about to start
- You are starting to use coping strategies that you are less than proud of (e.g., food, alcohol, drugs, withdrawing from family life)
- Only the “harsh” methods of discipline seem to be working, but you don’t like resorting to those (e.g., yelling, threats, bribery)
- Rewards, punishments, consequences, timeouts… none of it seems to work
Parent Coaching can help you to…
- Understand what age-appropriate behaviour looks like, and where your little one is at
- Tailor your parenting style to the needs of your child
- Get emotional support in a safe, non-judgmental environment
- Enhance your relationship and gain greater cooperation from your child
- Stop struggling on your own, and get professional advice for your specific child