Help your child leap from doing ok to reaching their personal best
As parents, we’ve been there and got the t-shirt. Some young people have the natural drive and discipline to work hard in school and at home while many others are bright but lack the focus, skills or will to strive for excellence.
This is understandable. The world is full of temptations! For young people on the cusp of adulthood, there are dozens of more immediately attractive options than heading to their desk on a sunny evening. In fact, as parents we can (secretly) sympathise because we used to be those young people! We understand the pull of friends or much loved hobbies over yet more homework.
The problem is: as adults we also have a longer perspective. For those parents who had high motivation and solid study habits, we can sometimes see that those habits opened up a pathway to the life we wanted to live. And for those parents who struggled and found it hard, we are often desperately keen to help our children avoid making the same mistakes we made.
At this time, we’re also acutely aware of not overloading our children with crushing expectations. Many parents already carry their own wounds from their schooldays – memories of intolerable pressure, demanding adults, a sense of failure. Every day brings a fresh news story about the rise of mental health problems in young people. We don’t want this for our children. We want them to thrive.
So, how can Academic Coaching help?
Working with a skilled coach can help your child develop solid habits and the study skills to prepare for internal and public examinations. More importantly, it can help your child figure out not just the how but, more importantly, their personal why.
Delaying short term gratification is hard but it’s easier when we have a clear sense of mission and purpose. We’re not just jumping through hoops to please the adults around us, we’re willingly choosing to work hard now because we understand the importance of this time. We understand that we are taking the first steps on the path we want to walk in this world.
Client Testimonials
I had the pleasure of working with a local Grammar School in Northern Ireland. As in many schools, pupils were often high achievers not only academically but across a range of sporting and artistic pursuits. They were balancing their desire to achieve with the need to take care of themselves mentally and physically. I greatly appreciated the feedback below from a senior teacher:
Debbie was an excellent guide and support to a number of our anxious and neurodiverse senior pupils, helping them to manage their emotional wellbeing, alongside planning and preparation for their public examinations.”
TJK
It was a pleasure working with these young people and subsequently hearing from one pupil who achieved top grades and went on to University to study their dream subject:
I am incredibly grateful for the positive impact your work has had on managing my anxiety and stress. The benefits and skills I gained from our sessions have been invaluable and continue to support me daily, particularly with the demands of my law degree at university. Your guidance has truly enabled me to stay calm in high-pressure situations and to approach stress more thoughtfully.
GE
This is the beauty of academic coaching – it’s not an ending but the beginning of a whole new stage. We don’t lose the skills we learn, we simply transfer them to the new situations we find along the road.
REMEMBER: If a young person in your life (age 12+) would benefit, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email or WhatsApp.