Have you ever looked up synonyms for “parent” in the thesaurus? Okay…we mean have you ever googled it? Well, if you really think about the synonyms that pop up, it might seem like a very daunting title. “Ancestor, architect, originator, guardian, creator.” You are all of these and more. But we’d also like to add, role model and leader of the pack to this list as well. You are their guardian, and you are the architect of their life. In your day to day life, you are shaping the way that they see the world. And as intimidating as that may seem, it’s also one of the most exciting things about caregiving. You are the leader of the tribe, and that’s one good looking tribe you’re making.
However, being a leader is not easy. It takes a lot of work, practice, and patience. Our work at Living with SHAPE focuses a lot on how to make great leaders. Both for parents and for children, but it’s not to make the next President of the United States or the next top CEO. It is to help children find their own strength to lead the life they have always wanted. And part of that work is helping parents find their architectural life skills that help their children design their future. We help parents uncover the “why” in their family’s dreams. Every great leader helps their team find the “why” or their purpose behind their goals.
At Living with SHAPE, we aren’t creating the goals for you, we are only helping you identify the reason behind your motivation for growth. We help you become the best leader you can be by enhancing your skills at developing and executing the strategies that will excel your family’s future. You are the coach for some of the most important people in this world. Your team is in the longest tournament of its life. There will be challenges, there will be loses, there will be changes on the scoreboard, but with you by their side, your children will find many wins.
Great coaches accept that there will be adversity for their team, but with enough support and teamwork, they know they can get through anything. Great coaches motivate those that see more losses than wins through being open-minded and listening to each teammate. Great coaches are patient enough to let each teammate find their own journey but wise enough to help when they are called. Great coaches have the self-confidence to build up their team and the self-regulation to stay balanced through it all. Go get them, Coach! 😊