Growing Pains? 8 Milestones Made Easier with Parent Coaching

Have you ever taken a step back, stared at your child, and thought to yourself, “When did everything change?”

It's a time-worn cliche, but time seems to move so fast when parenting. Keeping pace with childhood transitions is no easy feat. Many are emotional. Some are chaotic. Most are totally normal—but normal doesn't mean easy.

Often, these big moments feel overwhelming for you and your child. But that's where parent coaching can help. With the right parenting support during transitions, you can stop second-guessing and start showing up with clarity and calm.

Let's talk about the most common transitions in childhood and how parent coaching helps you—and your kid—thrive.

Why Transitions Trigger Big Emotions (for Parents and Kids)

When things change, so do our stress levels. For kids, change can feel like the rug's been pulled out from under them—even if it's a "good" change.

Transitions disrupt the structure kids rely on. Predictability helps them feel safe, so when that's gone? Big feelings.

Research shows that predictable routines help children navigate transitions more smoothly. 

Now, add the fact that kids don't always have the words to explain what feels off. Instead of "I'm overwhelmed," you might get tantrums, clinginess, or full-on refusal to participate.

And parents? You're not immune either. Transitions often come with pressure: Am I doing this right? Why is this so hard? Coaching takes that emotional noise and turns it into confident action.

Transition #1: Starting Daycare or Preschool

Separation can feel brutal, for both of you. It might be their first day or their fifth year, but watching your child cry at drop-off never, ever feels easy.

But those tears don't mean you've made the wrong choice. They mean your child is adjusting to a big new step. You can support that adjustment with simple things: short visits before the first day, talking through what to expect, and creating a "goodbye ritual" (same hug, same phrase, every day).

A coach helps you separate your feelings from theirs. You'll learn how to normalize the emotions without making the transition feel scarier than it is.

Transition #2: Potty Training

This one has a reputation, and for good reason.

Potty training is often painted as a milestone parents should just "figure out." But in reality, it's a developmental process with fits, starts, stops, and lots of wet pants.

Your child is ready when they're ready—not when social media says they should be. And if the process turns into a power struggle or starts to backslide, it's more than okay to pause.

Potty training challenges are one of the top reasons parents seek behavioral coaching.

With support, you'll learn how to spot readiness cues. You'll know how to set up stress-free routines and avoid common traps (like bribery that backfires).

No shame, no pressure—just a game plan that works for your family.

Transition #3: Welcoming a New Sibling

A new baby can bring a surprising wave of grief for the older sibling. Their role in the family changes, and even the most excited kids might feel uncertain or left out.

That might show up as behavioral regressions if not managed with support. Potty accidents. Clinginess. New fears. Totally normal, especially without the right scaffolding.

Parent coaching preps your older child in real ways (without overhyping the "big sibling" job). You'll learn how to carve out one-on-one time, notice the nonverbal signals, and keep both kids feeling secure—even when you're spread thin.

Transition #4: Moving Homes or Changing Schools

You might be pumped about the move. New opportunities, better schools, closer to family, an extra bedroom. But for your child? It's disruption—period.

Kids don't see "upgrade." They see unfamiliar spaces and miss old friends. Their routines are turned upside down. Even happy change is still change.

What helps is building continuity: bringing familiar routines into the new home, honoring the loss of the old one, and staying emotionally available when your child acts out. Coaching helps you plan those touchpoints and respond to the meltdowns with more empathy and less panic.

Transition #5: Starting Kindergarten

This one's big—really big. And it's about way more than ABCs and lunchboxes.

School success isn't just academic. It's emotional and social. In fact, emotional readiness is a stronger predictor of success than academic skills. 

So if your child can manage separation, follow directions, and ask for help, they're ready. Coaching can help you build those skills with simple daily habits. Think morning routines, play-based social learning, and practicing independence in low-stakes ways.

Transition #6: Sleep Transitions (Crib to Bed, Night Wakings, etc.)

Sleep is often the first thing to go when a child hits a growth spurt or goes through a big emotional transition. Sleep regressions are real, and they're exhausting.

The Sleep Foundation links sleep disturbances with developmental transitions, which means even positive changes (like walking or weaning) can disrupt rest. 

Parent coaching during these phases helps you create consistency at night and troubleshoot common issues—whether it's crib escapes, early wakeups, or sudden fear of the dark. You'll learn how to support their emotional needs while still getting everyone some actual sleep.

Transition #7: Major Life Changes (Divorce, Loss, Illness)

Some transitions aren't just hard—they're heartbreaking.

Divorce, death, serious illness—these life transitions for children leave emotional ripple effects that can last well beyond the event. And when you're in the thick of your own feelings, it can be hard to know how to show up for theirs.

Coaches help you hold space for your child's emotions while managing your own. You'll get language to explain the situation honestly, age-appropriate tools for grief or worry, and strategies for building emotional safety when everything feels uncertain.

Transition #8: Tweens & Early Independence

That shift from cuddly kid to eye-rolling tween can feel fast and brutal.

One day, they want bedtime stories; the next, they're shutting the door and asking for more privacy. It's a natural step toward independence—but staying connected through it takes intention.

Parent coaching helps you navigate that delicate tightrope: giving space while staying present, setting limits without power struggles, and supporting autonomy without disappearing.

It's about staying in a relationship through the messiness of growing up.

How Parent Coaching Helps You Handle It All

When you're in the weeds and up against big changes for kids, the last thing you need is generic advice from a forum thread. Coaching gives you direct, expert support based on your child, your situation, your values.

With parent coaching, you'll get:

• Actionable strategies based on age, temperament, and goals
• Help interpreting behavioral changes in kids so you don't spiral
• Support regulating your own emotions (because kids co-regulate off us)

Parent coaching for toddler transitions and other major milestones works– a study from the University of Washington found that it helps reduce child behavior problems and strengthen the parent-child connection. 

Final Thoughts: Big Shifts Need Solid Support

Here is a key insight from Raelee Peirce, Certified PCI and Poppins Parent Coach: "My coaching approach is grounded in the understanding that children don't give us a hard time—they're having a hard time. When we meet children where they are developmentally and respond to their underlying needs, we often see challenging behaviors simply melt away."

The truth is, knowing how to help kids through change is hard. But you don't have to figure it all out on your own. With parent coaching benefits from Poppins, you get expert guidance through twists, leaps, and messy middles.

We're here to make navigating parenting milestones just that little bit easier—with more confidence, less guesswork, and a whole lot more connection.