What is parent coaching? A complete guide to this game-changing resource

If you’ve struggled with any aspects of parenting, you may be tempted to throw your hands in the air and declare your surrender. But you don’t have to feel like your home is ruled by tiny tots or temperamental teens when there’s another option: parent coaching.

Here’s a resource that will help you make the changes you crave in a way that gets everyone in the household on board. Create the vision you have always had for a harmonious home by harnessing the positive power of a parent coach.

What does a parent coach do?

Did you know that parents report burnout and stress at a rate that is 13% higher than non-parents? If you’re raising your hand here, we feel you!

That trend has steadily increased since 2019 too. The pandemic, economic pressures, and the constant feeling of needing to do everything right all the time are contributors.

The good news is that, first of all, you don’t have to get it all perfect. Parents are human and need to cut themselves some slack. And, secondly, it’s okay to ask for help, like partnering with a parent coach to get things on track.

Like life coaching or career coaching, parent coaching is a specific kind of coaching that helps parents and other caregivers navigate the challenges of child development within the family unit — whatever that looks like for you. A parent coach provides support, evidence-based parenting tips, and, most importantly, empowerment for parents in dealing with their kids’ behaviors and family dynamics. 

Think of parent coaching as your personal parenting GPS — minus the frustrating "recalculating" every time you make a wrong turn.

What can a parent coach help me with?

Parent coaching is highly personalized, based on the unique needs of you and your children. It can help with a multitude of issues that put a strain on day-to-day life and have long-term effects on both family relationships and personal health.

Defining family values

Family values are basically your family’s mission statement — the foundation for decision-making, communication, discipline, and so much more. They’re the “this is what we stand for guide” that anchors parents and kids around the same set of core beliefs that help keep things on track  — both at home and out in the world.

If you’re trying to define your core family values, a parent coach can ask the right questions to help you articulate what those are. Then, they can offer advice on how to successfully reinforce your values in everyday living with your words and actions.

Setting boundaries & discipline strategies

Do you or a partner find yourself waffling about discipline? We get it — it’s hard with kids at every age.

And you’re not alone. One 2023 poll showed that nearly half of parents reported a desire to be more consistent with discipline.

This is another place where parent coaching can help. Your coach can work with you to define boundaries and rules that work for your parenting style and family. More importantly, they can offer tips on how to stick to them without second-guessing yourself — because let’s be honest, discipline is way easier to talk about than to enforce. 

Communication strategies

A major part of parenting is communication. But understanding that and practicing it are sometimes two entirely different things.

For parents who need effective communication strategies, a parent coach can be a game changer. For instance, you might learn that your old approach of asking your six-year-old to put away their toys and get ready for dinner isn’t working because it’s giving your child the perceived option of saying no. Instead, you can learn how to voice “must dos” in a way that’s kind, effective, and not open to misunderstanding. You'll become skilled at talking to your kids so they listen, without having to repeat yourself 47 times. Yes, it's possible!

Tackling behavioral issues

Dealing with behavioral challenges is one of the top reasons parents contact us about parent coaching. Often these issues go hand in hand with some of the transitions listed below.

A parent coach knows how to recognize and tackle these situations as well as how they overlap with discipline and communication. You’ll get parenting advice and practical strategies you can use right away to start changing unwanted or unhealthy behavior and achieve less friction at home.

Navigating transitions

There are milestones in child development and unpredictable family events that can throw any parent for a loop, like:

• Morning and evening routines
• Potty training
• Independent sleep
• Starting school
• New sibling
• Sibling conflict/rivalries
• Screen time
• Social media
• School issues
• Moving
• Divorce/remarriage
• Illness
• Gaining independence

That last one is a biggie for parents of tweens and young teens. Perhaps you've already struggled with conversations about going to the mall or the movies or about taking public transportation.

A parent coach is there to support you in working through these periods, whether they are routine growth or an unexpected event that might be causing changes in how your family functions and communicates.

Overcoming child fears & stress

Many kids also have their own one-of-a-kind fears that can stress them out and result in behavioral concerns — some logical and some straight out of a Pixar movie. Monsters under the bed? Terrifying! A speck of dirt on their sock? Apparently, also a crisis. 

Your parent coach can guide you and your child through everything from imaginary monsters to very real anxiety about playground bullying or starting at a new high school.

How does a parent coach differ from a life coach or therapist?

Parent coaches are similar to life coaches or therapists with a few key differences that tailor their services to your needs.

Credentials

There are no set requirements to become a parent coach. That's why connecting with a Poppins-vetted parent coach is important. We hire parent coaches with backgrounds in education, counseling, and child development. We also invest in education and training for our coaches to ensure a high-quality and consistent experience for all our clients.

Focus

Parent coaches concentrate on parenting issues and common scenarios like those listed above. A life coach, on the other hand, has a much broader scope, assisting clients with goal-setting and support in areas like their career, relationships, and mindset, and does not offer expertise in parenting and family life. 

A therapist is a licensed mental health professional trained to help individuals navigate emotional, mental, and behavioral challenges through talk therapy. While a parent coach can help parents identify and eliminate drivers of stress in their household, parent coaches are not mental health professionals, and parenting coaching is not a replacement for therapy. 

Interventions

In some instances, a parent coach can provide guidance and strategies when a child’s behavior is particularly disruptive to the family or causing physical or mental health issues. Additionally, a parent coach can suggest resources for professional interventions when it might benefit the child or family, such as special education or assessment by a medical or behavioral health professional.

What are the benefits of parent coaching?

We’ve touched on some of the advantages of parent coaching above. How do these sound to you?

• Better parent-child communication
• Increased parental confidence
• Deeper parent-child bond
• Reduced parental stress
• Improved behavior management strategies

Here's a mind-blowing stat: 69% of parents said they'd use more positive parenting strategies if they knew them. Well, consider this your official invitation to have less stress at home.

Parenting isn’t a perfect experience, but it should largely be a rewarding and joyful one, right?

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How do I know if a parenting coach is right for my family?

Are you someone who could be helped by a parenting coach? The answer is yes if you check one or more items on this list:

• You feel overwhelmed.
• Nothing has worked so far.
• You have a problem that needs quick resolution.
• You want a solution personalized to your family’s needs.

The last point is a particularly important one. Sixty-three percent of parents say they’re skeptical of taking parenting advice from people who don’t know their child or the specifics of their situation. Parent coaches invest time to get to know your family, your parenting style, and your core values, so their advice is tailored to meet your needs, whatever they may be.

How much does a parenting coach cost?

The costs for parent coaching vary widely. With traditional parent coaching, you can expect weekly sessions that cost roughly $100-200 per one-hour session, with many programs lasting 12 weeks. That’s a big investment!

However, the Poppins model offers coaching and 24/7 pediatric care for $50 per month. Our model gets you all the benefits of parent coaching at a fraction of the cost. This ensures we can bring this amazing resource to all families, not just a few.

What should I consider when selecting a parenting coach?

Are you new to parent coaching? Here are some things you should look for when choosing someone to work with you:

• Experience — as a parenting coach in general and, ideally, with any specific problems you need help with
• Fit with your parenting style — someone who shares your philosophies about parenting
• Right vibe — a feeling in your gut that this parenting coach gets you and your family

How to work with a parenting coach

When you start to work with a parenting coach you want to set clear goals from the outset. Openness and honesty between you and your coach is essential.

Like with any kind of counseling or coaching, you should be an active participant in the sessions. Then, you need to put the strategies into practice; it’s not enough just to talk about them. A parent coach can also be a valuable accountability partner, so make sure to ask for the kind of support you need to create lasting change in your home.

The Poppins model

Parent coaching from Poppins is based on three key pillars:

• Actionable solutions to gain clarity and confidence
• Customized care for unique family circumstances
• Working step by step for practical progress and results

The Bottom Line

Now that you know more about parent coaching, how do you feel about trying it in your household? The team here at Poppins is eager to answer your questions and understand your unique parenting challenges. Sign up to meet with a parent coach, and get the conversation started today!