Parent coaching helps parents clarify how they want their relationships with their children to be, and offers them tools to create a deeper and more fulfilling connection for their family.

A parent coach will help you get clear on your parenting values, experiences and goals. They will cheer you on when you’re thriving and feeling secure about what’s working well for your family. They’ll support you with empathy when you struggle. When appropriate, they’ll suggest new tools to help you lead with the good of the parent/child relationship in mind and help you be the parent you want to be.

Many of us walk into parenting with some vague notion about how we want to be as parents. Some of us are very “sure” of exactly how we’ll do things. 

Then reality hits. Our plans don’t actually match what’s unfolding in our lives and our homes, and we realize that some support would be helpful. 

A parent coaching professional can provide that support. A good parent coach knows that there’s no “one size fits all” solution to any parenting challenge. They’ll work with you to get a sense of what’s happening and understand the nuances of your specific situation.

A good parent coach won’t “fix” your child, nor will they try to “fix” you. Rather, they’ll work to understand your individual strengths and help you grow together as a family from a place of empowerment and encouragement. 

Additionally, a good parent coach will not tell you how to parent. They will support your values, priorities, and goals, and provide the accountability, loving reflections, and feedback to allow you to live your vision. 

Rather than simply telling you what to do – without any of the why behind it – your parenting coach will help you understand child development and the latest science to strengthen your abilities and confidence within your own family.

Logistically, parent coaching professionals typically meet with their clients on a regular basis, often weekly. During each session, your parent coach will be prepared to guide you on your parenting journey. They’ll offer you new approaches to try, listen with empathy, and suggest resources that can help you solve problems.

Most parent coaching services are provided by certified professionals who’ve taken the initiative to deeply train and understand effective and connection-based parenting.

What skills do you need to be a good parent?

Being a good parent is, in some ways, likely easier than you think. Most importantly, it's not about being a perfect parent. Your child needs you to model being authentic; doing your best, and making repairs when you fall short. Although that sounds simple, it’s certainly not always easy.

Your child needs you to love them in a way where they don’t just hear it; that they feel it deep within their bones. They want to feel that you absolutely delight in their very being. Does this mean rainbows and unicorns abound every time your child walks into the room? Of course not. A genuine smile, eye contact, and your (usually) undivided attention are enough. (And if your child is averse or sensitive to any of these things, then you learn the best ways to connect with them.)   

Your child also needs you to be curious, to be willing to grow together with them, and to hear – truly hear – their perspectives. They need to know that what they say matters to your heart. They want to know that when they’re struggling, they can run to you for support and protection rather than feeling they need to fear your reactions.

Again, your child does not need you to be perfect. Your child, above all, simply needs you to show up for them and do your best with the resources you have at any given moment.

How do I become a parenting expert?

What would you say if I told you that you already are a parenting expert? No one else knows your child better than you do. Although you may second guess yourself sometimes, you already have everything you need to build the relationship you crave with your child.

To be a true expert, we must be committed to honing our skills. There are specific actions we can take to do that – and the possibilities are incredibly encouraging.

We must be able and willing to learn – because if we are, there’s always something more to understand about brain science, child development, and the myriad other ways we can expand our knowledge. We learn not just about the children in front of us, but also so very much about ourselves.

We must be willing to be wrong. A big part of being a parenting expert is humility. We know that we don’t know everything, and that parenting is an ever-evolving process. When we realize we’ve made a mistake, we must be able to own up to it and use it for good – to make changes that suit our relationships better as we grow alongside our children.

We must be willing to trust. It’s true that many of us have “trust issues” – and they can be very, very real. If we can lean into expanding our trust that our children are exactly where they’re supposed to be developmentally (even if we can give them some new skills along the way), we all benefit from the gifts of presence and acceptance.

With these as the framework for being a parent expert, we can learn, practice and then take our expertise out to the world to help enrich, simplify, and holistically benefit lives in the world around us.

Opportunities for parent coaching

If you want to walk others through this parenting journey, being a parenting coach is an incredibly fulfilling career. Our coaches love what they do, and the family transformations they get to witness.

Needless to say, having the credentials of being a certified parent coach is a wonderful addition in the journey and an important part of expanding your knowledge, skills, and credibility. Here, you can apply for the Jai Parent Coach Certification program today.

Meet Your Author, Sarah R. Moore

Sarah R. Moore is the founder of Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting and a Master Trainer for the Jai Institute for Parenting. As a certified gentle parenting coach who's studied directly with some of the world's most respected psychologists, neuroscientists, researchers, and advocates for children, she’s a regular contributor to international parenting magazines.

She's trained in Interpersonal Neurobiology by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel, has advanced degrees in Journalism and French, and as a bonus, is a graduate of improvisational comedy school. 

She's also a frequent guest on podcasts and parenting summits. She offers a popular series of mini-courses, webinars, and FREE expert interviews. Additionally, she's the Editor for Pregnancy Magazine. She’s currently writing a book that will be released this year. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.