LIFE-COACHING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE KIDS:
THE ROAD MAP TO MATURITY
How mature are your kids?
Many of them are destined for college, but are they ready?
There’s more to preparing kids for college than a qualifying GPA and completing the required classes. Many kids still have to be nagged by parents to keep up with their assigned work, follow through with responsibilities and the “unpredictables” that come up frequently.
Many of them still don’t clean their rooms, get to bed on time, come home on time, do chores, etc. without being told ten times first.. Kids say, “Don’t treat me like a child!” But you have historical proof that if you didn’t nag them and motivate them things wouldn’t get done, “If you act like a child, you get treated like one!”
MATURITY GAUGE
If kids aren’t capable of managing their day to day to lives, then maybe they’re not mature enough yet for what is waiting for them. If your kid is a junior or senior and still needs parental motivation to complete things and get those grades, I can assure you they’re NOT ready to be independent.
Too many of our soon to be graduates are merely looking to college as a way to be on their own and have the best party-life YOUR money can buy! But parents feel like they are out of time since high school is almost finished. There’s no time left for mistakes so they micro-manage everything. You know you shouldn’t bail them out, but you always say, “one more time” and the cycle continues.
Maturity needs certain milestones to be reached. If your kids are not properly prepared and mature for each stage they will not succeed at any of these endeavors. What kids need is a Road Map to Maturity, not just graduation.
As a counselor and Life-Coach, this is my job: I facilitate and accelerate maturity. By working one-on-one with clients and families, I customize a plan for the teen to mature; gauging where they are and where they need to be and then helping them accomplish milestones on the road map… AND GET INTO THE FUTURE!
It requires a lot of work. The teen and the parents need to make changes, but it IS possible.
Parents: You can see the finish line! I know: mine is 21 and on his way! It’s exhausting, but you can’t give up!
Scott Spackey is a Certified Life-Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, State Certified Counselor and Interventionist