Children today are growing up in a world that challenges their confidence, resilience, and sense of self more than ever before. Beyond academic success and extracurricular development, children need life skills for managing their mindset, so they can handle setbacks, believe in themselves, and thrive through change.
At Adventures in Wisdom®, we know that emotional well-being isn’t something children can figure out on their own. It’s a skill set that can be taught, practiced, and strengthened through life coaching for kids.
When children learn how to manage their thoughts and emotions, they unlock the confidence to face challenges with courage, recover from mistakes with resilience, feel good about themselves even if they make a mistake, go for their goals with courage, and create a life they love.
“Mom, I’m such a loser. I quit.”
Those were the words of 10-year-old Michael after grounding into a double play that lost the baseball game for his team. Humiliated and heartbroken, he slumped to the bench, consumed by failure, and wanting to give up baseball.
Sadly, stories like Michael’s are not uncommon; they are everyday realities for millions of children around the world.
We see it all around us: the child who gives up after one setback, the tween who hides behind silence, the teen who masks anxiety with sarcasm.
We know they’re struggling, but we don’t always know how to help.
What Challenges are Children Facing Today?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about children’s mental health were rising. And during the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression among kids surged to record levels. While those numbers have begun to level off, they remain far too high.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022-2023 data), about 1 in 9 children (ages 3–17) have a current, diagnosed anxiety disorder, and roughly 1 in 25 are living with current, diagnosed depression.
Among teens, the numbers climb even higher. The latest State of Mental Health in America 2025 report found that 15.4% of youth ages 12–17 experienced at least one major depressive episode last year, and nearly 1 in 3 teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
Globally, the World Health Organization reports that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents ages 15 to 19. In the U.S., nearly 1 in 6 teens say they’ve seriously considered suicide.
Let’s pause here.
Let’s take that in.
These statistics reveal what many parents and teachers already see. Children today are navigating more pressure, comparison, and uncertainty than ever before. Beyond clinical diagnoses, many struggle quietly with stress, self-doubt, low self-worth, and the fear of not being “enough.”
Our kids are facing a long-term challenge that demands our ongoing attention, understanding, and action.
So what’s missing?
Why Mindset Development is the Missing Link in Education
Our children spend thousands of hours learning math, reading, and science, but almost no time learning:
How to believe in themselves.
How to bounce back from disappointments or “failure”.
How to handle peer pressure.
How to lead their own lives with confidence and intention.
How to achieve their goals.
At Adventures in Wisdom®, we call this the missing link in children’s education: mindset development. It’s the one area of growth that impacts every other aspect of a child’s life, academically, socially, and emotionally.
Mindset development isn’t about “fixing” children; it’s about empowering them with tools most adults were never taught. It’s about helping them develop the inner compass to navigate life’s challenges long before they become overwhelming.
How Life Coaching for Kids Helps Them Build Critical Life Skills
Life coaching for kids is a proactive approach that helps children develop the mindset and critical life skills such as:
- Resilience – the ability to bounce back from disappointment, failure, or change
- Self-esteem – feeling worthy and good about themselves from the inside out
- Confidence – believing in themselves even in the face of obstacles or fear
- Self-leadership – living from a strong value system, making good choices, and standing up to peer pressure
- Goal-achievement – living life with direction and achieving their goals
- Emotional regulation – learning to understand and manage big feelings and to think about situations in a way that supports them
These are essential tools every child needs to thrive.
We’ve seen it firsthand. When a child learns how to manage their thoughts, shift their perspective, and choose empowering beliefs, something beautiful happens. They begin to shine.
Real-World Results From WISDOM Coach® Lisa:
Eight-year-old Cory constantly criticized himself for every small mistake, eroding his self-esteem. Working with WISDOM Coach® Lisa, he learned the brain science behind thoughts and how to “power shift” from self-criticism to self-support. Using positive self-talk, affirmations, and the story Choosing Your BFF (Best Friend Forever), Cory created new neural pathways of confidence.
During a workshop, when he made a spelling mistake, he practiced self-forgiveness and turned it into a teachable moment. Soon, his mom noticed her son was happier, calmer, and more resilient. Cory shared, “I learned that my tears come from my mind and I can change my thoughts to stop them.” You can see his full story here.
Why Parents Aren’t Failing. They Just Need New Tools!
Here’s what we want every parent to know:
Wanting help for your child is not a sign that you’ve failed them.
In fact, wanting help for your child is the greatest gift you can give them.
No matter how much we love our children, we can’t give them self-esteem, we can’t give them confidence, we can’t give them resilience, we can’t give them happiness, and we can’t give them success in life. But we can help them develop the skills to develop all five of these within themselves!
Just like we hire tutors to help with math or coaches for sports, WISDOM Coaches help children build the mindset skills they need for all areas of life. When children learn how to navigate life with an empowered mindset, they can thrive academically, in extracurricular activities, in relationships at home and with friends, and in all areas of life.
What Does a WISDOM Coach® Do?
WISDOM Coaching is an innovative certification program that empowers adults to become life coaches for kids who help guide children to develop mindset skills they will use for life.
Using the unique, story-based Adventures in Wisdom® Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum, coaches help kids build confidence, resilience, and self-leadership in a way that is fun and deeply impactful.
Today, there are hundreds of Certified WISDOM Coaches in over 30 countries, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and transformation for children and families around the world.
How Storytelling Helps Kids Learn Mindset Skills Faster
One of the most powerful ways we teach life skills is through coaching stories.
WISDOM Coaches use stories written in a fable format to help create an emotionally safe space where children can learn mindset skills without being lectured. The stories, discussion questions, and activities provide an environment to help children apply what they are learning to their own lives under the guidance of their coach.
Neuroscience reveals that stories engage several areas of the brain, including those linked to language, emotion, senses, and memory. This makes storytelling an incredibly effective method for learning and transformation.
By weaving mindset skills into captivating stories, we allow children to witness mindset skills in action, form emotional connections with the characters, and absorb the lessons in a meaningful, experiential way.
With the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids, coaches introduce a world of relatable characters, and kids can explore situations they face every day. From being teased, to failing a test, to doubting themselves, to dealing with peer pressure, they will learn how to respond with confidence and courage.
Stories help children see themselves through a new lens. And through engaging conversations and hands-on activities, those insights become part of who they are.
How Teachers, Mentors, Coaches, and You Can Be Part of the Solution
Educators, coaches, volunteers, parents, and mentors, you are on the front lines. You see the daily struggles children face. Sometimes, it can feel like you don’t have the tools to help.
That’s where life coaching for kids comes in.
The Adventures in Wisdom® curriculum was created to help people like you who want to empower children so that they will be ready for life.
By using the WISDOM Coach® Certification, you can bring these transformative tools into your classroom, your sports team, or your community, one story at a time.
You don’t need to be a therapist. You just need to believe in children and be willing to guide them as they discover their own inner strength.
Why is it important to be proactive in helping children build life skills?
We don’t need to wait until children are in crisis to help them develop these critical life skills. We don’t need to wait for the school to call home or for a child to stop smiling.
We can act before the damage is done by giving children the skills to handle life’s ups and downs from the start.
At Adventures in Wisdom®, we believe that all children deserve to know their worth, believe in themselves, learn how to navigate life challenges, and create a life they love.
Because when children have the inner tools, they can handle whatever comes their way, whether it’s a failed test, a lost friendship, or a tough coach. They can choose how to respond. They can get back up again. They can soar.
How We Can Empower the Next Generation Together
Mindset development and life skills aren’t optional for our children. The world is asking more of our children than ever before.
Let’s help them develop the skills they need.
If you’re someone who knows that empowering children will help you fulfill your purpose, and you want to learn more about becoming a life coach for kids, we invite you to download a free coaching story to experience story-based coaching for yourself.
Click here to get started and receive your FREE coaching story
Let’s raise a generation of kids who are not just smart but strong, self-leaders who believe in themselves and are confident and prepared to soar in life!
Ready to become a Certified WISDOM Coach®?
Learn more about our program HERE
Renaye Thornborrow is leading a worldwide mission to bring life coaching to kids. Since 2013, Adventures in Wisdom® has certified hundreds of coaches in over 30 countries, helping them create a business they love as a life coach for kids, while helping children build the mindset and skill set for resilience, self-esteem, achievement, and self-leadership so that they are confident and prepared to thrive in life.
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Adventure well, my friend!
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