Do I need a parenting life coach

The Gist:

• You are allowed to be your own person even if you have children

• You are allowed to ask for help

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Have you ever sat back and thought about how you’d like your life to be? Really taken time to be the architect of your life? Until very recently, I had not. I cruised along on a path that was before me, making decisions every now and then, but not really thinking too much about it.

Then I became a parent, and the path before me was made up of diapers, nursing, a demanding child and endless hours of books, playtime and Elmo (whom I love, but still). 

And when the diapers were through, there were endless hours driving to sports, school and other activities.

When my daughter was in occupational therapy and physical therapy, it involved several hours a week of driving to and from therapy appointments and sitting waiting rooms.

Parenting is no easy task. We do it gladly (mostly), but it’s not easy. 

But it sure can be easy to forget about ourselves when we are just trying to Keep the Tiny Humans Alive. 

I can remember one particularly bad day, I didn’t let myself go to the bathroom for hours after I had the urge to go, because the baby was fussy and needed to be dealt with. 

Let me say that again: I didn’t go to the bathroom for hours because the baby needed me “more”.

That’s messed up. Have you been there?

At the time that all this was happening, I was also experiencing post-partum depression, so I went to see a psychologist for talk therapy and got on some antidepressants. Both of these treatments combined helped me enormously.

And you might need a behavioral health professional if you’re also experiencing depression.

But if you’re not, you might just need a Coach. And depending on where the issues lie, you might choose from a couple of different options.

The emergence of parent coaches is a dream come true for many people. Not all of us have all the answers for each unique situation parenthood brings to us.

Parent Coaches have experience with tons of unique situations because they hear about many of them on a daily basis. They are equipped with tools and methods that many non-professionals wouldn’t be able to anticipate.

Using their knowledge of child development, parent coaches help parents understand how situations feel from the child’s point of view. They can offer solutions based on a child’s emotions, feelings and experiences.

When troubles seem less like a direct result of parenting and behavior and more of a result of just life itself, bring in the Life Coach.

Life Coaches can help you through tough transitions (hello, Parenthood), new relationships (hello, Parenthood), new chapters of your life, (hello, Parenthood) and sudden and unexpected changes (hello, Parenthood). 

A Life Coach’s main goal is to make sure you are living your life the way you truly want it and creating happiness through that journey. They help you clear out the subconscious ‘gunk’ that’s getting in the way of you living an awesome life that you love. 

There are plenty of options out there for parent and life coaches. As always you’ll want to screen for someone who is a good match for your personal style and focus.

If you need help, get it. Don’t be ashamed to build yourself the support system you deserve.

All my best-

Gabriele