When should parents access career coaching

I often think back to the time BC. Before children. I thought I knew what IT would be like. I thought I understood what I would be like! Yet the reality of being a parent has never quite fit with what I expected. I have relished certain areas, struggled in others and found myself consistently learning, all whilst being in awe of these two humans I delivered into the world. However, that disparity didn’t end when the little one was in my arms. It has continued year to year. Now, I’m halfway through my second decade (!) of being a Mum, and I have had a revelation. I am just feeling my way through this thing called parenthood. As my children grow and develop their needs and wants change. But they are not the only ones going through transitions. I am too.

We witness our children developing emotionally, intellectually and socially, yet forget that we develop personally too through all of our life experience. The person you are right now is unlikely to recognise the person you become in the future; I bet when you look back (as I often do) you view yourself as a work in progress, so why not realise that about future you too? 

I’m often asked, “when is the best time for a parent to access career coaching?” It’s assumed by many, both individually and organizationally that the only transition that a parent will need support with is when they return to work after parental leave. Yes, this is a MAJOR time in their lives; reassessing their career agenda alongside the very practical and emotional pull of leaving the baby or babies they have spent nearly every waking hour within the previous months. But this is not the only time a parent would benefit from career coaching.

Whilst a child is maturing and growing, so is the parent. The energy and focus they have on themselves change over time and are often marked by a big transition for the child. The clients that I deal with will often reassess what they need based on changes to their child’s needs. Let’s consider for a moment some of these transitions:

• Starting Nursery
• Starting Primary School
• Starting Secondary School
• Starting Work
• Starting College
• Starting University
• Moving out of the home

During each transition, the emotional, physical and financial needs of the child will change, adjusting the time and energy a parent can dedicate to themselves and their career. Working with a coach can help the parent understand what they need during each stage of their life; unpicking the expectations they have had previously and reprofiling what can work for them for the future. 

Let’s be clear. Not appreciating the ongoing needs of working parents, and the impact of the transitions their children are going through can mean a company will risk losing staff. Assuming parents want and need the same things now, then when their children were younger, will impact motivation, possibilities and productivity.

So often the topic of guilt comes up with the parents I coach; being stretched in a lot of different directions, not spending enough time with their kids, not spending enough time at work or not fulfilling their potential in life. They are concerned about the example they are setting their children; what are they telling their children about their future world of work by what they are doing right now? As a coach that works with parents, they are trying their very hardest to be the best parent, friend and colleague they can be. One of the best ways you can help them, and their families, is to help them create an environment where parents “care about work as a source of challenge, creativity and enjoyment” that isn’t just me saying it; research shows that this positively impacts their children too. 

If you are pivotal in the creating of a coaching culture, make sure you are engaging with all your team. This will help you understand, regardless of their caring responsibilities, how you can support them to evolve and have a healthy work-life balance, However, if you are assuming that the best time for a parent to access career coaching is ONLY when they return to work, you are impacting the wellbeing of your staff, as their lives evolve alongside their children. Because the best time to support a parent with career coaching is right now! 

To find out how I can support your, or your team, through 1:1 coaching and workshops, book a call here.

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