What Does a Parenting Coach Do? One Families Story of Hope
- tcbn79
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by Nicola Wigglesworth, Parenting Coach, Norland Nanny, BA (Hons) Early Years Learning and Development, Managing Director of TCBN
Recently, I’ve had the privilege of working with a lovely family – let’s call them the Harrisons*. When we first met, their two children, Samuel aged 8 and Rachel aged 6, were thriving in many ways, but emotional outbursts, controlling behaviour, and emotionally based school avoidance were leaving everyone exhausted. Mum and Dad were calm and caring parents already doing so much right – they just needed a few new tools and a bit of support putting them into practice.
We began with a strategy session to build on the family’s existing strengths. Together, we explored emotion coaching – a way of parenting that helps a child learn healthier responses to big feelings by empathetically acknowledging and validating their emotions, calming the body, and building emotional security, while also setting healthy boundaries for behaviour. Mum and Dad were already using sensitive language to navigate challenging moments. We built on this by identifying opportunities to simplify language, particularly during moments of dysregulation. We recognised that, especially for Rachel, when she becomes overwhelmed she temporarily loses access to the part of the brain responsible for logic, reasoning, and complex processing. In these moments, less is more.
I then visited the family at home to see how things were going and to help them implement the strategies we’d discussed. It was wonderful to see the difference that had already been made. It was encouraging to hear how much impact the simple principle of “say less” had had. They had begun using simple, direct communication and felt more confident in their responses to the children. We also recognised that Rachel was finding it difficult to play independently, which was taking its toll on the family, particularly on Mum. As we explored what might be going on for Rachel, Mum described a “lightbulb moment,” and together we put a specific strategy in place to meet Rachel’s emotional need for connection while also creating a healthy balance of time apart.
When we met again a couple of months later, the change was remarkable. Rachel was now in school full-time, communication at home was easier, the parents felt more confident in their parenting, and the whole household felt more balanced and peaceful. Crucially, the children were happier and healthier, and the parents were beginning to get their life back. We’re now building on those successes – exploring logical consequences and techniques for a smoother bedtime routine.
What I love most about this family’s journey is how intentional and hopeful it has been. They didn’t set out to “fix” their children; they wanted to understand them better and find approaches that would truly support their needs. It’s always heart warming to hear how these changes feel from a parent’s perspective. Mum shared this reflection on their journey: "We asked Nicola to come and work with us because we were finding things difficult and really wanted to enjoy our family more. The traditional parenting techniques didn’t fit our children’s additional needs, so we were looking for specific advice to our situation. A friend recommended Nicola. We met with Nicola online first before she came to meet the children and spent time seeing what a ‘normal’ afternoon was like for us. I thought it would be strange being observed with my own children but actually it was completely fine as Nicola was so lovely and put us at ease. The things we worked on as parents following the visits and Nicola’s advice have allowed us to be really clear about what we expect as a family and we have implemented techniques that actually work for us and our children. We are really happy with the support we have had from Nicola."
Working with families in this way is always a powerful reminder that small, steady changes can transform family life. If you’d like support to understand your child and explore practical strategies to benefit the whole family, I’d love to chat. Follow the link below to book a complimentary 15 minute consultation to find out how parenting coaching could help your family reclaim your joy.
*All names have been changed.
Comments