top of page

Why Life Skills matter for Teens/youth?

Are you a teen or youth who wants to make the most of your life? Or are you a parent who wants to help your teen succeed and thrive? If yes, then you are in the right place. Let's explore why life skills matter for teens and youth, and how life skill coaching can help you and your teen achieve your goals and dreams.

​

Adolescence, the transitional phase from childhood to adulthood, is a critical period in an individual’s life. It’s a time of significant physical, emotional, and social changes, which can be both exciting and challenging.

The Challenges of teens and youth

​

Teens and Youths of today face numerous challenges, including:

​

  1. Physical changes: Hormonal changes lead to physical transformations, which can sometimes lead to self-consciousness and insecurity.

  2. Emotional changes: Hormonal fluctuations can also cause mood swings and emotional instability.

  3. Social Recognition and Belonging: Adolescents seek acceptance and recognition from their peers, which can sometimes lead to peer pressure and conformity.

  4. Identity Formation: Adolescents are in the process of discovering their own identities, which can sometimes lead to confusion and conflict.

  5. Autonomy and Responsibility: As they strive for independence, adolescents are also learning to take on responsibilities, which can be overwhelming and stressful.

​

In a Pew Research article titled "Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023", it is mentioned that:

​

“More than half of U.S. teens say it would be difficult for them to give up social media. 36% say they spend too much time on social media.”

​

 

Below is a TEDx talk by Dr. Adriana Galván, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles offering insights into Teenage Brain.

​

The Challenges of Today’s Parents

The parents of today, particularly those in nuclear families, face their own set of challenges when raising teens and youth too:

​

  1. Balancing Responsibilities: With both parents often working, finding a balance between professional responsibilities and parenting can be difficult.

  2. Changing Parenting Styles: Parents may struggle with adjusting their parenting style as their child transitions into adolescence.

  3. Lack of Support Structures: Parents may lack the necessary support structures, resources, and time to effectively nurture their adolescent children.

  4. Parental Burnout: Juggling multiple roles can lead to parental burnout, resulting in communication gaps.

The Importance of Life Skill Coaching

Life skill coaching can play a crucial role in helping teens and youth, and their parents navigate these challenges. According to the Munich Model of Giftedness:

​

"Effective education is determined by the fit between individual cognitive and noncognitive factors of the developmental and learning processes and the environmental influences that are mainly from the social settings of family, school, and peers".

​

Coaching can help these teens and youth develop personal strengths and abilities, provide guidance on certain decisions, and even relate to them on a peer level so that they become more comfortable talking about their issues. It can also help teenagers learn the skills they need to thrive in life.

​

From the Harvard Business Review article titled “Coaching for Change” by Richard E. Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten, they explain:

​

“The idea is to have coachees envision an ideal self (who they wish to be and what they wish to do), explore the real self (not just the gaps they need to fill but the strengths that will help them do so), set a learning agenda, and then experiment with and practice new behaviors and roles.”

​

Importantly, Life skill coaching is not therapy or counseling. It is not about fixing problems or giving advice. It is about empowering and supporting young people to discover and realize their own potential. A good life skill coach will:

​

  • Ask exploratory, open-ended questions and listen with genuine care and concern.

  • Help the coachee to envision an ideal self, explore the real self, set a learning agenda, and experiment with new behaviors and roles.

  • Provide positive feedback and reinforcement, and help the coachee to monitor and evaluate their progress and outcomes.

  • Respect the coachee’s autonomy, confidentiality, and boundaries, and adhere to the professional code of ethics and standards of the coaching industry.

  • Use a variety of tools and techniques, such as assessments, activities, worksheets and resources.

​

And that's exactly what I offer. 

bottom of page