What is the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids?
The WISDOM System for Coaching Kids™ is the organizing framework used within The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum to help children develop 27 powerful mindset skills through a proven, story-based coaching approach.
The WISDOM System organizes the 27 mindset skills into five key areas of social and emotional development, helping children develop how they think, how they see themselves, how they handle challenges, how they become self-leaders, and how they achieve their goals so that they are confident and prepared for life.
This page is designed for coaches, educators, and parents who want to understand how the WISDOM System organizes mindset skills into a complete, non-clinical coaching framework for children.
Each area of the WISDOM System focuses on a different aspect of a child’s growth. Together, they help children develop the inner tools they need to navigate school, friendships, family life, and future challenges with greater confidence and resilience.
WISDOM is an acronym representing five key areas of social and emotional development: MindPower™, InnerPower™, MePower™, DreamPower™, and Slaying Dragons™.
- MindPower™ – helping children understand how their minds work and how their thoughts shape their experiences (skill books 1 – 5 of the curriculum)
- InnerPower™ – helping children build their inner compass and learn how to make values-based decisions (skill books 6 – 11 of the curriculum)
- MePower™ – helping children develop healthy self-esteem, confidence, and supportive self-talk (skill books 12 – 16 of the curriculum)
- DreamPower™ – helping children create a vision for their lives and turn goals into action (skill books 17 – 22 of the curriculum)
- Slaying Dragons™ – helping children manage fear, mistakes, change, and the ups and downs of growing up (skill books 23 – 27 of the curriculum)
The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum and WISDOM System for Coaching Kids were created by Renaye Thornborrow, founder of Adventures in Wisdom, and are taught by certified WISDOM Coaches.
Since 2013, Adventures in Wisdom has been helping children develop these skills through story-based life coaching that supports how children think, feel, respond to challenges, and work toward their goals.
The mindset skills shared on this page are research-based and developmentally appropriate, and are taught through a non-clinical, coaching-based approach designed to support children’s growth outside of therapy or medical treatment.
Here are two 1-page overview documents. The First outlines the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids and the second is a 1-page overview of the 27 skills certified WISDOM Coaches can support children in developing.
Below is an in-depth look at the 27 mindset skills children develop through this curriculum, organized by each segment of the WISDOM System.
On This Page
Explore the 27 Mindset Skills by Segment
W.I.S.D.O.M. is an acronym for the 5 areas of development
W – Wire Your Brain for Happiness and Success with MindPower™
MindPower™ – How children think! Mindpower is the foundation of the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids and the starting point of The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum.
MindPower™ helps children understand one of the most important truths about life: how they think shapes how they experience themselves and the world. Through this segment, children learn the fascinating brain science behind how their minds work and why mindset skills matter—not as abstract ideas, but as practical tools they can use every day.
As children develop MindPower™, they begin to understand that their thoughts influence their feelings, choices, and results. They learn about the roles of both the conscious and subconscious mind, how belief systems are formed, and how those beliefs can either support or limit them. Most importantly, children learn that they are not stuck with the thoughts they have, they can choose new thoughts that empower them.
MindPower™ lays the groundwork for the rest of the Adventures in Wisdom curriculum. By helping children understand how their minds work, this segment prepares them to fully engage with the mindset skills they will build throughout the rest of the WISDOM System.
Skill Books in the MindPower™ Segment
There are five skill books in the MindPower™ segment:
- How Your Mind Shapes Your World and What You Can Do to Shape Your Mind
- Power of Possibility – Why You Achieve What You Believe (The Good & the Bad)
- Building Neural Pathways – How to Create Your Path to Success
- The Secret Radar in Your Brain – How to Use Your RAS to Achieve Your Goals
- Power Shifting – How to Choose Your Power Even When Things Don’t Go Your Way
Each skill book introduces these concepts through engaging stories, guided coaching conversations, and hands-on activities that help children apply what they learn in real life.
A Child’s Perspective
“I learned there are different parts of my brain and that I can change the way I think and the way I do things. My brain makes me happy and I’m in control of it! I don’t need to be anxious, and I can talk to people without feeling scared. Now, I have more dry nights and have been a lot less worried about things — I can be a new person and enjoy my life.”
— Heather, age 10
I – Identify “Who” You Want to Be and What You Want for Your Life with InnerPower™
InnerPower™ – how children decide and act. InnerPower helps children develop their inner compass. The ability to decide who they want to be and how they want to show up in the world, even when faced with pressure, temptation, or uncertainty.
One of the greatest challenges children face as they grow up is peer pressure. InnerPower™ addresses this challenge early, before children reach the more intense social pressures of high school. Through this segment, children learn that strong decision-making starts from the inside.
With InnerPower™, children begin by identifying who they want to be at a character level. They develop four foundational values of self-leaders: self-responsibility, integrity, respect, and self-respect.
Children then learn a simple, practical process for making good decisions, before they find themselves in difficult situations. They explore what they want for themselves in key areas of their lives and practice using their values as a filter for making choices.
Next, children learn how to recognize five different types of peer pressure and confidently say “no” to others while saying “yes” to themselves. These skills help children navigate friendships, school environments, and social situations with confidence.
InnerPower™ gives children skills they can use for the rest of their lives, because the best time to support children in handling peer pressure and decision-making is before those pressures happen in real life.
Skill Books in the InnerPower™ Segment
There are six skill books in the InnerPower™ segment:
- The Power of Self-Responsibility – How to Be “The Boss of Me”
- Choosing Integrity – What You Do When No One Is Looking
- Make Your Mark with Respect – Understanding Your Impact on Others
- Make Your Mark with Self-Respect – Understanding Your Impact on You
- How to Make Good Decisions – Choosing What You Want for You
- Standing Up to Peer Pressure – How to Say “Yes” to You and “No” to Peer Pressure
Each skill is taught through stories, reflection, and experiential activities that help children practice making values-based choices in real-life situations.
A Parent’s Perspective
“My 8-year-old son enjoyed the story of ‘No One Will Know Nelson’ to learn about integrity. The hands-on activity using food dye and water to demonstrate how a seemingly little lie can cloud trust between two people was a very powerful experience. He now talks about ‘Nelson’ in his everyday life and has ownership of what integrity in action looks and feels like.
We have found Adventures in Wisdom coaching to be a wonderful additional steppingstone to the lessons we are striving to convey.”
— Cecilia, mom of an 8-year-old
S – See Your Inner Superstar and Shine with MePower™
MePower™ – how children relate to themselves. MePower helps children develop healthy self-esteem and confidence from the inside out, so how they feel about themselves does not rise and fall with the ups and downs of growing up.
Through MePower™, children learn what self-esteem really is, and what it is not. Instead of basing their worth on approval, performance, or comparison, children learn how to feel good about who they are, no matter what is happening around them. They begin to understand their own uniqueness and learn how to honor their own uniqueness and the uniqueness of others.
A core focus of MePower™ is helping children build confidence and courage so that they can approach life with a belief system of “I can do this.” Children learn that confidence is created through thoughts, actions, and practice, and that confidence comes by stretching outside of your comfort zone.
At the heart of MePower™ is one of the most powerful mindset skills in the entire Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum: self-talk. Children learn how the way they talk to themselves directly impacts how they feel about themselves and what they believe is possible for their lives. By becoming aware of their inner dialogue, children gain the ability to identify and shift from negative self-talk and how to proactively create positive self-talk that supports them in being more empowered in their lives.
Finally, MePower™ introduces children to self-coaching, a simple, practical process they can use each day to stay on track, manage emotions, and respond to challenges with greater awareness and intention. This empowers children to support themselves long after the coaching conversation ends.
Skill Books in the MePower™ Segment
There are five skill books in the MePower™ segment:
- I Love Me! – How to Develop Soaring Self-Esteem
- I Honor Me! – How to Be Yourself and Honor Your Uniqueness
- I Believe in Me! – How to Develop Unstoppable Self-Confidence
- Self-Talk – Mastering the Secret Behind Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence
- Self-Coaching – How to Conquer the Day-to-Day Ups & Downs and Create Daily Mastery
Each skill is taught through stories, reflection, and coaching activities that help children apply these ideas in their everyday lives.
A Child’s Perspective
“I learned a lot about how my mind works and why I sometimes get angry at myself. I now know that I can change the way I talk to myself. If I talk in a nice way, then I can feel better.”
— Tina, age 11
D – Dream Big, Live with Purpose, and Make it Happen with DreamPower™
DreamPower™ – how children achieve goals. DreamPower helps children learn how to dream, set meaningful goals, and take intentional action toward the life they want to create.
Throughout history, what once seemed impossible has become possible because someone imagined a different future, believed it could happen, and took action to make it real. DreamPower™ teaches children that this same process applies to their own lives. Rather than drifting through life, children learn how to live with purpose and intention.
Through DreamPower™, children learn how to create a vision for who they want to become and what they want for their lives. They discover that having a clear vision gives them direction and motivation, helping them make choices that align with what matters to them.
Children also learn how to use goal setting as a practical tool to turn their vision into action. They practice breaking goals into manageable steps, tracking progress, and staying engaged even when goals take time or effort. This helps children experience success as something they actively create rather than something that happens by chance.
In addition, DreamPower™ introduces children to the brain science behind achievement and the Law of Attraction tools of visualization, affirmations, and gratitude. Children learn how these tools help “program” their minds for success by reinforcing focus, belief, and positive expectation, while always pairing attraction with action.
DreamPower™ shows children that dreams don’t come true by accident. They come true when children learn how to think intentionally, believe in themselves, and take consistent steps forward.
Skill Books in the DreamPower™ Segment
There are six skill books in the DreamPower™ segment:
- Creating Your Vision – What Do You Want?
- Goal Setting – How to Turn Your Vision into Action!
- Law of Attraction – Using Attraction and Action to Manifest Your Goals
- Visualization – How Winning in Your Mind Creates Winning in Life!
- Affirmations – How to Program Your Mind to Reach Your Goals
- Gratitude – How an Attitude of Gratitude Prepares You for Your Dreams
Each skill book guides children through stories, reflection, and coaching activities that help them apply these tools in age-appropriate, empowering ways.
A Coach’s Perspective
“I am working with a high school swimmer who had a disappointing season last year. It was the first time he had ever plateaued in his swim time results and he was spiraling down with panic and negative self-talk. We created a plan for the summer using step-by-step goals and he is crushing it!”
— Dr. Traci, WISDOM Coach® and Chiropractor
O & M – Overcome Obstacles and Manage the Ups and Downs of Growing Up with Slaying Dragons™
Slaying Dragons™ – how children navigate challenges. Slaying Dragons helps children learn how to handle the tough stuff in life, such as the moments that feel scary, disappointing, or overwhelming.
Growing up inevitably includes fear, mistakes, change, and setbacks. Slaying Dragons™ teaches children that these challenges are not signs of failure, but opportunities to build courage, resilience, and inner strength. Instead of avoiding difficult emotions or situations, children learn how to move through them with confidence and self-compassion.
Through this segment, children learn what fear really is and how it works in their minds and bodies. They discover that fear does not have to stop them. It can be transformed into courage. Children practice stepping outside their comfort zones in safe, supported ways that build confidence over time.
Slaying Dragons™ also helps children develop skills for managing mistakes, disappointments, and “failures.” Children learn how to let go of past experiences that might otherwise hold them back and how to keep moving forward without getting down on themselves or giving up. These skills are especially important as children face academic challenges, social struggles, and changes at home or school.
In addition, children learn how to manage change. Whether it’s changing schools, friendships, routines, or family dynamics. By developing flexibility and resilience, children become better equipped to navigate uncertainty and embrace new experiences rather than fear them.
At the heart of Slaying Dragons™ is learning how to think differently when life feels hard. By building resilience and coping skills, children gain the confidence to face challenges knowing they have the tools to handle whatever comes next.
Skill Books in the Slaying Dragons™ Segment
There are five skill books in the Slaying Dragons™ segment:
- Overcoming Mistakes – How to Learn from Mistakes and Let Them Go
- Managing Fear – How to Create Courage and Bust Outside of Your Comfort Zone
- Moving Past Failure – How to “Put It in a Box” and Keep on Going
- Managing Change – How to Embrace Change and Thrive
- Conditional Thinking – How “If…Then” Thinking Keeps You from Happiness
Each skill book uses stories, reflection, and coaching activities to help children practice resilience in real-life situations, building confidence that lasts far beyond childhood.
A Parent and Coach’s Perspective
“Using stories to teach these skills is absolutely brilliant. Sometimes my kids don’t want to listen to me, but they will listen to Wyatt the Wise Wizard. We listen to the story and then talk about the lessons that Wyatt is teaching. It gives me a great way to add my two cents without lecturing, preaching, or nagging.
The other day my son came home really upset because he did poorly on a test. We pulled out the story ‘Afraid to Fail Fred’ and worked on the lesson to put it in a box. He felt so much better after that and even told me his plan to do better on the next test. Then he thanked me! What more could a mom ask for?”
— Sara, WISDOM Coach® and Mom
Bringing the WISDOM System Together
The WISDOM System for Coaching Kids™ brings together five key areas of development to support children in building the skills they need to navigate life with confidence, resilience, and purpose: MindPower™, InnerPower™, MePower™, DreamPower™, and Slaying Dragons™
Through The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum, children develop 27 core mindset skills that work together to shape how they think, how they see themselves, how they handle challenges, and how they move toward what matters most to them. Each segment of the WISDOM System builds on the others, creating a balanced and intentional approach to growth that honors the whole child.
For coaches, the WISDOM System provides clarity and confidence, offering a meaningful structure for guiding skill development over time.
For parents, the WISDOM System offers reassurance that their children are learning practical, empowering skills they can use at school, at home, with friends, and throughout their lives.
Together, the curriculum and the WISDOM System create a powerful foundation for helping children grow into capable, self-aware, and resilient individuals—one story, one skill, and one meaningful conversation at a time.
Explore the 27 Mindset Skills in More Depth
The WISDOM System organizes how children grow. The 27 mindset skills show what children are learning through The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum.
If you’d like to explore each of the 27 skills in more detail, including the stories, outcomes, and real-life applications, continue with the in-depth overview of the mindset skills taught through this curriculum.
Explore the 27 mindset skills children develop through The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions About the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids
What is the WISDOM System for Coaching Kids?
The WISDOM System for Coaching Kids™ is a research-based, non-clinical coaching framework that organizes the 27 mindset skills from The Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum into five key areas of social and emotional development. It provides a clear structure for how mindset skills are taught and reinforced through story-based life coaching for children.
How is the WISDOM System different from the Adventures in Wisdom curriculum?
The WISDOM System explains how mindset skills are organized and developed, while the Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum provides the specific coaching stories, activities, and skill books used to teach those skills. The system is the framework; the curriculum is the content delivered through that framework.
Is the WISDOM System therapy or a clinical program?
No. The WISDOM System is a non-clinical, coaching-based approach designed to support children’s personal growth outside of therapy or medical treatment. It is intended to complement, not replace, clinical or therapeutic services when those are needed.