Divorce, separation, moving to a new home, changing schools, or adjusting to a new family structure can bring enormous change into a child’s world.
And for single parents, there can be an added worry beneath it all: How is this affecting my child—and am I giving them what they need to be okay?
That was an important part of the conversation when Adventures in Wisdom® founder Renaye Thornborrow joined the Single Parent Success Stories Podcast to talk about helping children develop confidence, resilience, and the mindset skills they need to navigate life’s challenges.
One of Renaye’s central messages was reassuring: We can’t protect children from every difficult experience, but we can help them develop the skills to move through those experiences.
Helping Kids Feel Empowered When Life Feels Uncertain
Major family changes can leave children feeling as though much of their world is outside their control.
That’s why Renaye emphasized skills such as managing change, managing fear, positive self-talk, confidence, self-esteem, and self-responsibility.
When everything around a child feels shaky, having areas of life they can take ownership of can help them feel more capable.
That might mean learning to manage homework or responsibilities around the house. It might mean recognizing the thoughts running through their mind and learning how to shift thoughts that are tearing them down.
It can also mean helping children understand that while they cannot control everything that happens to them, they can begin learning how to choose what they think, what they do next, and how they respond.
Pay Attention to the Voice Inside Their Head
Self-talk is especially important during challenging transitions.
Children can quietly create explanations for what is happening around them. They may worry that something is their fault, wonder whether they are good enough, or become fearful about what will happen next.
Renaye explained that every day, children are sending themselves messages through their thoughts and words. Those messages can either build them up or tear them down.
The good news? Children can learn to recognize negative self-talk and replace it with thoughts that support them.
This is one of the foundational skills taught through Adventures in Wisdom’s story-based coaching curriculum.
Raising Children Who Know They Can Handle Life
When asked about the most important trait to instill in a child, Renaye’s answer was self-responsibility.
Ultimately, she explained, we are preparing children to become adults who can make decisions, manage their thoughts and feelings, take responsibility for their choices, and navigate challenges.
That doesn’t mean leaving children to handle difficult experiences alone.
Children still need love, security, guidance, and support. But as they grow, parents can gradually give them more opportunities to make decisions, solve problems, experience consequences, recover from disappointments, and discover, “I can handle this.”
For a child going through divorce or another major life transition, that belief can be incredibly important.
Single Parents Don’t Have to Do Everything Alone
Renaye also acknowledged something especially relevant for single parents: sometimes parents are navigating tremendous change themselves.
Supporting your own emotions while caring for a child, managing a household, working, and creating a new normal can be a lot to carry.
And sometimes adding another trusted adult to a child’s support system can help.
Life coaching for kids is a non-clinical, skills-based approach designed to help children who are generally mentally healthy develop mindset skills such as confidence, resilience, self-esteem, self-leadership, and positive self-talk.
Just as a parent might bring in a tutor for academics or a sports coach to build athletic skills, a WISDOM Coach® can help a child develop the mindset skills they can carry into school, friendships, family relationships—and future challenges.
Because we may not be able to control every change our children experience.
But we can help them build the inner tools to believe in themselves as they move through it.
Watch the Interview on the Single Parent Success Stories Podcast
Renaye and Irina discuss this topic in depth on the Single Parent Success Stories Podcast.
How Kids Can Learn Mindset Skills – and 2 Ways You Can Help Them
Self-esteem, self-confidence, good decision making, resilience, and goal setting are all mindset skills that kids can learn for life.
Adventures in Wisdom is leading a worldwide movement to bring mindset skills, personal development and life coaching to kids. Since 2013, we’ve certified hundreds of coaches in over 30 countries.
Kids learn 27 mindset skills – by either working with a certified child life coach (WISDOM Coach) or working with their parent in a home study course.
Learn everything you need to know about Life Coaching for Kids here.
1. Want to be a Life Coach for Kids?
You can create impact and income – working part time or full time – as a certified WISDOM Coach®.
You can get certified to use the Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum, where you’ll use fun coaching stories, activities and a proven STORY Coaching process to teach mindset skills and life coach kids.
WISDOM Coaches use coaching stories and activities to help children develop mindset skills for confidence, resilience, self-esteem, self-leadership, and achievement so that they can be confident and prepared to handle the ups and downs of growing up, reach their fullest potential, and thrive.
To see what it’s all about and learn how you can create a business you love as a life coach for kids, simply click below. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to apply and save.
2. Want to Find a WISDOM Coach for Your Child?
Simple click below to:
- Use the “Connect with a Coach” form or
- Search the WISDOM Coach® Directory
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