Adolescence period:
Adolescence is one of the crucial periods of transition where a kid is transitioning from childhood to an adult.
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UNICEF calls the adolescent brain the second window of opportunity. At this stage, a kid goes through a lot of changes physically, emotionally and neurologically. Thanks to developments in Neuro science and accessibility of materials, we are able to appreciate the deeper science behind this crucial stage.
Challenges today:
Today, we are living in the world of Information overload. While all the required information is at our fingertips, why do adolescents often express concern about procrastination and feel overwhelmed ? Aren’t these tips and techniques available at our fingertips to solve by ourselves?
Information availability is not a problem. The real challenge is the ability to sieve through the required information, staying focused and having the right guidance at the right time. Through ‘CoachingwithLaks’(www.coachingwithLaks.com) I get to understand the pulse of hundreds of adolescents/parents. Let’s take a minute to understand what kind of challenges they face and how we as parents could support.
Like any one, adolescents need to be seen and heard as well. The challenge they face today is the lack of safe space for them to express their thoughts, emotions and aspirations. This is evident in my coaching sessions when adolescents express that they love their parents, but parents do not understand them. In casual conversations, many adolescents also express how fear stops them from expressing their mind to their parents. While their decision-making is still under development and needs support, they rely on parents, teachers, peers or the Internet to guide them. Let’s pause here and understand what parents and teachers go through. Most parents today are living in a nuclear family setup. Meaning, every single activity at home needs their attention and decision making. Hence, parents end up wearing multiple hats in managing home, kids and work. And at times, juggle too many balls to the extent of dropping the emotional support required for children. On the other hand, teachers at school are already juggling many balls in terms of academic results, assignments, creative project work, cultural activities etc.,
Support system:
As the famous saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a kid.” Who is in our village? Village size is shrinking and it is getting limited to parents, teachers and peers. And, if we are not equipped to handle adolescents, it backfires as parents are often used to advising and solutioning. Know what? Almost every adolescent I met said that they hate advise. So, what is the solution? Solution that I offer to navigate adolescence with confidence is through Coaching : A no-advice formula.
Coaching as a solution:
Coaching is not just a trend; it is a need of the hour. Coaching is NOT counselling or Therapy. One of the key reasons, why coaching holds such an importance is due to the ability to foster self-awareness and self-confidence. Remember, anything that comes from within will likely stick longer in our mind as we become the owner of it. No wonder adolescents experience those ‘Aha’ moments when they realise their power in coaching sessions. For example, during personalized coaching sessions on overcoming procrastination: one of the adolescents realised how overconfidence came in the way as a blocker, while another one realised the need to communicate better, while another one realised how strained relationship in family is eating up the time and each one devised their own plan to move forward. Mileage varies from individual to individual and coaching facilitates an intense dialog to maintain the individuality yet be effective. It is not yet another ‘one solution works for all’ formula ! Similarly, in one of my workshops on Time Management conducted at a school in Hyderabad, more than 80% of students expressed increased self-awareness and more than 90% expressed increased clarity and confidence in time management after the session.
Coaching provides invaluable life skills like goal setting, time management, developing resilience, assertive communication, receiving feedback & adaptability to name a few. These crucial skills not only prepare adolescents for academic success but also enable them to prepare ahead to navigate adulthood effectively. On top of this, a good coach creates a safe space for exploring the thoughts, beliefs, values, feelings in a judgement free zone which is precisely what adolescents need.
Offerings:
In essence, coaching plays a pivotal role in empowering adolescents to overcome challenges and unlock their potential to thrive in today's world. As a coach dedicated to supporting adolescents, I offer personalized coaching services tailoring to individual needs. Also, I conduct group coaching/workshops on various topics like time management, goal setting, self-management. Both individual and group setting has its own advantage from individualized attention to fostering collaboration & learning from peers.
Let’s act today for a better tomorrow as adolescence is the second window of opportunity. Let’s do our part in making the right investment towards a brighter future. Together we could partner to help adolescents realize their dreams and become confident, resilient individuals prepared to thrive in 21st century.
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