By helping parents navigate the ups and downs of parenthood, you can help turn your passion for parenting into a thriving coaching business.
Did you know that new parenting coaches can make anywhere from $50+ an hour, while experienced coaches can make several thousand dollars a month?
Not only is it one of the most financially rewarding businesses to pursue, but you are also uniting families together.
What exactly is a Parenting Coach
Parent coaching is a form of instructional coaching that focuses on services that help parents improve their parenting skills, build stronger relationships with their children, and overcome parenting challenges that are outside the scope of their understanding.
Parent coaches work with parents of children of all ages, from newborns to teenagers and it can also include other family members in the household.
However, parent coaching is different from traditional family therapy in that it’s more focused on the present and future rather than the past.
This form of coaching is more action-oriented, focusing on practical solutions and realistic goals for all kinds of parenting challenges.
Parent coaches not only work with addressing the child’s behavior but also help the parents cultivate their emotional intelligence.
All in all, parent coaches help parents identify their strengths and weaknesses as parents, develop new strategies and skills, and build stronger, more positive relationships with their children.
They also help develop an action plan(s) that also builds confidence in both the child and parent.
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Parents Need Coaching Guidance
As a parent of 6 children (3 stepchildren and 3 biological), I understand the challenges that come with raising children.
It’s not easy, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming especially when they hit their teen-young adult years.
However, with the right tools and support, it can also be incredibly rewarding.
Hiring a parenting coach can help direct and guide parents through some of the most difficult situations.
There have been many times that I have wondered if I was failing my children in certain areas and needed guidance. Children unfortunately do not come with a parenting handbook let alone a parenting how-to book for teens.
I have contacted my friend Kim Muench several times for additional support and guidance. She is a certified Parenting Coach from the Jai Institute and has vast expertise in helping men and women become better parents of their teens and young adult children.
Kim is the creator and director of Real Life Parenting Guide and she wrote about her story in her book called “Becoming Me While Raising You ~ A Mother’s Journey to Her Self”.
She has gone through a lot of trial and error with her six children and shares with other parents what she’s learned in her one-on-one coaching sessions.
Kim’s been featured on WFAA in Dallas, Texas, and on Fox News Radio Stations all across the country.
In this article, I share how she did it and other important information you’ll need to know to get started as a parenting coach.
Benefits of Parent Coaching
There are many benefits to becoming a parent coach.
For one, it’s gratifying to help other parents improve their parenting skills and build stronger relationships with their children.
It’s also ideal for individuals looking for a profitable and fulfilling side business that could potentially become a full-time job all from the comfort of their own home.
Kim does all of her coaching from Zoom calls with parents from all over the US and schedules these calls with evening and daytime appointments.
She is doing so well that she was able to quit her professional corporate job and transition to full-time at the end of 2020.
She has helped hundreds of moms and dads become better parents and has helped their children develop into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
If you decide to pursue this as a career, you’ll have the same satisfaction that Kim has had building a successful and profitable business doing something you’re passionate about.
Few careers have incredibly rewarding results of changing people’s lives like that of a parent coach.
How to Become a Certified Parenting Coach
To become certified, you’ll need to complete a parent coaching training program.
There are many training and certification programs available, but not all will equip you with the tools you need.
Highly reputable programs typically offer a wide range of training and certification options, from self-paced online courses to in-person workshops and seminars.
When choosing a training program, it’s important to consider the program’s reputation, accreditation, and curriculum.
Most parent coaching programs typically require a certain number of training hours and may also require passing an exam.
From my research, the Jai Institute for Parenting and/or PCI (Parent Coaching Institute) are highly respected and well worth the investment.
There are also programs like the NYSPEP which is a credentialed parenting educator program that assesses and acknowledges parenting educators and their training.
Some programs require a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as family therapy psychology or social work.
However, many programs do not have this requirement and only specify a certain number of hours and/or years of experience working with parents and children.
After you have completed your research and vetted the institutions, choose what best fits your needs and pursue that course of action.
How to Deliver Effective Parent Coaching
Delivering effective coaching sessions is key to building a successful parent coaching business.
It’s important to create a safe, supportive environment for your clients to share their challenges and concerns.
You’ll also need to be an active listener in your coaching conversations, asking open-ended questions and providing non-judgmental feedback.
Additionally, you’ll need to be able to create an action plan and the necessary tools for your clients to implement. This may include providing resources, homework assignments, and follow-up support.
What Skills are Required for Coaching Parenting Challenges
As a parent coach, you’ll encounter a variety of parenting challenges. It’s important to have a deep understanding of child development, parenting strategies, and the challenges that parents face. Your parent coaching skills and goals are to empower parents and their children to effectively build the parent-child relationship they ultimately need to thrive, and bring hope and healing to a family in conflict.
In some cases, you may need to refer clients to other professionals, such as family therapists or medical professionals. It’s important to have a network of professionals to refer clients to when necessary.
You’ll also need to understand child development and the different parenting strategies and techniques for the challenges that parents face during many different developmental phases.
Additionally, you’ll need to be patient, empathetic, and non-judgmental. One of Kim’s biggest mottos is “to lead with compassion without judgment” through her one-on-one online coaching.
Just like Kim, you’ll need to be able to build trust and rapport with your clients and create a safe, supportive environment for them to share their parenting challenges and concerns.
One of the questions I’ve researched for this path is “Do you have to be a parent to be a parenting coach?”
No, however, it may give you a slight advantage in helping you to be more relatable to your clients in their parenting situations, but it is not necessary.
If you believe you are meant to help coach parents, not having children shouldn’t hinder you from moving forward.
There are plenty of addiction counselors who have never dealt with personal addiction, however, they have been trained in that field of expertise. The same goes for you if you don’t have children of your own.
Different Parent Coaching Services to Offer
There are many different types of parent coaching services you can offer.
It’s important to identify your niche when starting your parent coaching business.
Some coaches specialize in working with new parents of infants and toddlers, while others focus on working with parents of teenagers.
Some coaches offer group coaching sessions, while others prefer to work one-on-one with clients.
There are parenting coaches that work exclusively with single moms or parents of children with special needs.
You may find you work best with parents whose children have addiction and identity issues, or medically diagnosed mental and/or physical illnesses like ADDHD or rare autoimmune issues.
Whatever the case, now that you are on your way to identifying the specific needs of your clients, and where you can best assist them, you can start to focus primarily on helping them achieve their parenting goals.
Helping moms and dads become better at parenting and their success is the best part of your new career in parent coaching.
Now let’s focus on the strategies of social media and other platforms to gain clients and exposure.
Create Your Parent Coaching Business Plan
Setting up your parent coaching business is relatively simple.
Like any small business, you’ll need to register your business name and LLC, obtain any necessary licenses, and permits, and set up a separate business bank account.
It’s recommended to create a business plan that outlines your goals, target audience, marketing strategies, and financial goals. After all, any business can fail without a successful business plan.
Be sure to check out the detailed small business plan that helped a small bakery owner go from a home kitchen to a brick-and-mortar location bringing in six figures. It’s very detailed and worth the read!
Once you’ve set all of this up, you can start offering your coaching services.
It’s important to have a clear pricing structure with a system for scheduling appointments and collecting payments.
There are basic scheduling programs like “Calendly”. For as little as $8 a month, you can get your clients scheduled.
However, I researched and found a company that can house all of your webinars, calendar scheduling, courses if you’ve created them, downloads, email collection, and analytics at Stan.store.com for as little as $30 a month.
Marketing Your Parent Coaching Business
To find out what specific field of parent coaching you would like to work in, focus your energy and marketing in that direction. Defining who you want to work with the most is key. Is your niche working with parents of infants, toddlers, tweens, teens, or young adults?
Once you’ve identified this, you can tailor your coaching services and marketing strategies to attract potential clients.
There are many different marketing strategies you can use to attract potential clients to your parent coaching business.
One of the most effective strategies is to build a strong online presence. This can include creating a website, social media profiles, and blog content that showcases your expertise and services.
One of the most successful platforms for Kim has been TikTok, with over 170,000 followers as of this article in 2024 under the handle @KimMuenchParentCoach.
She typically makes one video a day Monday through Friday and hired a Social Media coach to help grow her audience and it’s worked!
Additional Marketing Ideas
In addition to building a strong online presence, you can also offer free coaching calls, create a referral program, and attend networking events.
It’s also important to create a strong brand identity that reflects your values and services including creating a logo and tagline and creating marketing materials that showcase your expertise and services.
You can also network with other parenting consultants and coaches, attend parenting conferences and events, and offer free coaching calls to potential clients.
Kim suggests pitching yourself to local television news and radio stations to get free advertising.
Additionally, she recommends taking a course or online seminar on the topic of pitching to the media so that you learn the ins and outs before jumping in.
And of course, word-of-mouth referrals are always the most powerful marketing tool.
By connecting to preschools and local churches, homeschool groups, mom’s groups, and mom’s day-out programs, you’re sure to gain word-of-mouth referrals and connections.
Successful Stories of Parent Coaching
There are many successful stories of individuals who have coached parents. Coaches have helped parents improve their communication with their children, build stronger relationships, and overcome challenging behavior.
Coaches have also helped parents reduce stress and anxiety and become more confident and effective parents. To read some encouraging success stories, be sure to visit the Real Life Parent Guide.
Parent Coaching Conclusion – Is it the right direction for you?
Parent coaching is a rewarding, fulfilling career that allows you to make a real difference in the lives of families. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can turn your passion for parenting into a successful coaching business. Remember to define your target audience, create a strong online presence, and deliver effective coaching sessions that help your clients become better parents. With dedication and hard work, you can build a successful parent coaching business that helps families thrive.
