If you ask any parent what they want for their kids, the answer would be, “to be happy, successful, and healthy.”

Unfortunately, although deeply loved by us as parents, our kids are struggling. Being a kid today is a challenge. By the age of 7 or 8, many children have already started comparing themselves to other kids allowing fear, self-doubt, and judgement to creep into their lives. And, as a result, they develop limiting beliefs about themselves, their lives, and how the world works. They start struggling with their studies, with teachers’ expectations, with their friends and social skills, with authority, with their siblings, and even with us as loving parents.

Truth is, a child’s difficulty reflects on the whole family and changes the very delicate and fine balance between a happy family and a troubled family. The pressures on our children today are vast and as parents, seeing our kids struggle can be both frustrating and worrisome. We become aware of the limiting beliefs about themselves and we want to help, but often kids seem unwilling to talk to us about what they are unhappy about. We tell our kids that they’re great, but often that’s not enough. So, what’s a parent to do?

It has become increasingly common for parents to take their kids to therapists when issues arise. And, while therapy certainly has a place when working through psychological issues, trauma, or mental health conditions, is it really the best choice for an emotionally healthy kid who simply acquires some assistance in dealing with life?

So, why coaching and not therapy? What is the hullaballoo about? Well, many adolescents feel that therapy focuses on delving into the past and can be an emotionally draining experience. Because it is developmentally more appropriate for kids to be more concerned with the present and the future, many of them find coaching an energising and motivating experience. Kids tend to live very much in the moment, and as such the concrete activities and measurable short-term progress they will make with a life coach is something that feels more tangible and relevant. So yes, coaching could provide a great alternative when managing day-to-day struggles.

We can’t assume that our kids will magically be able to stand up to bullies, say no to drugs, not self-harm or contemplate suicide. No matter what a child’s experiences or challenges, they deserve to have the tools to equip them in dealing with life’s curveballs with confidence.

Coaching can benefit kids with many difficulties. Low academic achievements, behaviour problems, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, social skills difficulties, sibling rivalry, anxiety, lack of motivation, and so much more.

Life coaching for kids seems like such a foreign idea, right? Yet, the goal of all of this is to help your child to develop a strong sense self by building a soaring self-esteem, helping him/her to set goals and squash those goals by giving them the tools to make good decisions during the toughest time of peer pressure.

We all want our kids to reach their full potential. The main aim is not to change who they are, but how they are.

Is life coaching for your kids something that you would consider?

Source: www.theblessedbarronness.co.za, www.growingforward.co.za, www.lauriemcanaugh.com, www.thekidscoach.org.uk, metapsychmatters.blogspot.com, www.kidslifecoachacademy.com, kidslifecoachacademy.mykajabi.com, www.bemebetter.com, www.behappyinlife.com, www.innerseeduae.com