About Jennifer
Jennifer Pollard (aka The Kids Coach) is an energetic and dedicated coach and the mother of two beautifully boisterous boys. Her unique, engaging and fun approach has established her reputation as an authority in her field and sought-after coach, speaker and author.
Forever self-educating and adding to her knowledge base, Jennifer has complimented her degrees in Psychology and Management with certification as a YB12 Coach, a Laughter Yoga Instructor and has undertaken intensive training as a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor. Jennifer has been working with children in various capacities for over 10 years and has been in private practice as a coach since 2012.
She also writes a popular Kiwi Families column called ‘Ask The Kids Coach’ and is regularly interviewed about issues concerning children’s social, emotional and psychological well being by the television and print media.
As a parent, wife and business owner she has a compassionate understanding of the challenges and demands facing modern families, and combines this practical experience with her knowledge from the fields of psychology, counselling and performance coaching to help children and families develop practical strategies and solutions that enable real change to occur over time.
Friendly, engaging and empowering programmes
My fun, interactive programmes utilise the most effective techniques from Positive Psychology, Performance Coaching and Play Therapy to teach your child important life skills in age appropriate ways they can understand, remember and use.
I can help your child with the following:
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- optimism and resilience
- emotion management (anger management and frustration tolerance)
- stress management and relaxation
- anxiety and worry
- social skills and assertiveness training
- motivation and persistence
- confidence and self-esteem
- focus and attention
As The Kids Coach, my focus is on helping your child develop the internal resources that underpin success and well-being now and into the future. To develop these resources, I work directly with your child (either privately or in small groups) and teach them how to focus on and take responsibility for what they can control, namely their thoughts, words and actions.
I recognise that each child, parent and family is unique and I am dedicated to helping you find solutions that work for you and your family. I support you and your child’s teacher by showing you how to help your child develop their social, emotional and psychological strengths.
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Learning to be proactive
Through coaching, I teach kids how to align their thoughts, words and actions with what they want to achieve rather than reacting to the situations that arise in their lives.
Remembering skills through fun
Making coaching FUN and delivering the material in ways that make intuitive sense to children means the underlying concepts get remembered!
Laying foundations for long-term success and well-being
All of my Inspired Kids Programs are developed based on understandings from Neuroscience and Psychology. These disciplines teach us that childhood is the optimum time to learn essential life skills that will set us up for long term success and, just as importantly, wellbeing.
During childhood, we are really laying the foundations for what will become our automatic and dominant thoughts, behaviors and patterns. What we lay down, of course, can either help us or hinder us, and have a massive impact on what we experience, as well as, the outcomes in our lives.
Flexible location
I offer sessions from various locations throughout Auckland including school, community and private settings. For each session or class, the room will be furnished with a variety of props for the children to use, depending on the topic we are covering – these may include puppets, books, video clips, toys, play dough, balls, games and activities.
If you have a wonderful kid whose strengths and great qualities are being overshadowed by their challenges, then it’s time to get in touch and see how I can support your child and family!
Click the below images to see Jennifer talk about “Children and TV” Â “Self-Control” in her interviews with Paul Henry!
Services
- Private Coaching for children (6+) and families
- School Based Coaching – Small Groups & Private during school hours at school
- Focused Coaching (Anxiety or Anger Management)
- Train of Thought – Most popular and comprehensive coaching course (Build self-belief, a positive mindset and learn to conduct yourself well)
- In The Zone – Specifically created for tween and teen boys (Set yourself up for success in school, sports and life)
- Angry Birds & Cool Kids  – Emotion Management (Understand and manage frustration and anger)
- Bully-proof – Communication and Assertiveness (Learn how to be more assertive, confident and deal with conflict positively)
- Workshops & Seminars for parents and educators
- Resources for children, parents and educators
This is a mobile service.
Services
- Private Coaching for children (6+) and families
- School Based Coaching – Small Groups & Private during school hours at school
- Focused Coaching (Anxiety or Anger Management)
- Train of Thought – Most popular and comprehensive coaching course (Build self-belief, a positive mindset and learn to conduct yourself well)
- In The Zone – Specifically created for tween and teen boys (Set yourself up for success in school, sports and life)
- Angry Birds & Cool Kids  – Emotion Management (Understand and manage frustration and anger)
- Bully-proof – Communication and Assertiveness (Learn how to be more assertive, confident and deal with conflict positively)
- Workshops & Seminars for parents and educators
- Resources for children, parents and educators
Lillian has really turned a corner over the last 6 months and we are really happy with her progress. She is seemingly less anxious, happier in herself and is beginning to be more outgoing. We have also seen a shift with behavioural difficulties in the class room.
Thank you kindly for your work and effort with her among others last year. As a teacher and a parent at Willow Park School I have seen and heard of the great success that has come about from the programme.
Many thanks Jen!
Kelly – Mum and Teacher
Thank you so much Jennifer for the way you have worked with both of my children, firstly in the private coaching then with a partner for the Inspired Kids classes.
My daughter was a shy, unconfident and reserved child, and become an expressive more confident child and excelling in school and sports. Her nervous habits, anxiety and lack of confidence have dropped so much. When she starts to slip back into those habits we pull out your folder and have a refresh on the ‘Tools’ she was taught with you. There were things I could say to her, but she would not process it. However the way in which you taught her, it made sense to her, she listened and applied. She went from the shy, unconfident student, to the child always with her hand up to answer, put into the school GATE programme and jumped 3 levels in her gymnastics. She strives for better and has since November set her own goal to be at the Olympics for her rhythmic gymnastics.
My son had rather an anxiety trigger that would set him off. He was also lacking confidence and would slink to the back of the class when asked things, and would not try anything new. He had some issues with expressing his feelings and being able to put words to those. Since he started seeing you middle of last year, he has gone from strength to strength and finished his year 6 as Mathlete of the Year, put forward a piece of art for display and played a solo piano piece in the school production. We have pulled out your folder twice since November for him.
I could not have asked for anything better with the results in the kids. They loved the fun games and the way they were taught, and are looking forward to their follow up sessions with you. The impact on the lessons they have learned have also been a learning curve for me. Seeing how they were learning also opened my mind up to another way of learning, and how to take a different approach to situations. A win-win in our house for sure!
Cheryl – Mum of 2
I used to be a very anxious kid but with the help of Jen and her inspired kids program I have improved majorly! I feel like I have become a very positive person. Coaching has helped lots at school. I have a toolkit full of strategies to overcome my anxiety and I can manage myself without getting too stressed now. It was nice to have someone to talk to who wasn’t Mum or Dad. I think every child that feels anxious or needs some help should go see Jen and do one of her inspired kids programs. Thanks so much Jen! ”
Joshua – 11 years old
This is actually a program that can help kid’s lives. It helps kids to get better at things, fix mistakes and learn how to make yourself un-sad. Instead of being unhappy you can think and feel happy. It’s helped me be able to know what to say when I’m having a problem. I can communicate how I’m feeling and ask for help when I need it now.
Aiden – 10 years old
“I used to be all nervous and now I’m not.”
Piper – 7 years old
For more testimonials from kids and parents see: http://www.thekidscoach.co.nz/testimonials.html