July 16, 2008
By Jane Richards
Certified Family Coach 

I distinctly remember the day eleven years ago when I began thinking about coaching parents and families immersed in the world of Film. I was standing on a West Coast Beach looking out at the ocean as my 2 year old played in the sand. The beach setting was the site of a movie on which my husband was working. My daughter and I had rushed to set to meet him during his lunch hour, only to find there had been a last minute production meeting scheduled. Lunch didn’t happen. An opportunity to connect was missed.

I thought, “wow,” this world of Film is lonely. This world of Film involves crazy hours and strange locations. This world of Film couldn’t be any less family friendly. I asked myself,  “Are there mentors out there for people like me, who are married yet often carry a load similar to that of a single parent?” The words “mentor” and “parent coach” came to me that day and they have never left me.

My husband and I now have three children, two girls and a boy, and we’ve been married for 15 years. We have a strong relationship, but given the unique characteristics of film work, it has been quite the ride!

Over the last year, I have committed myself to becoming certified as a Family Coach and to designing a Coaching Business that specifically supports families strongly influenced and shaped by the unique characteristics of the movie business. Coaching can empower parents to overcome obstacles and create the home life they desire for their children. To be successful today as a parent, one must be creative and dare to be different. Parents affected by the film business are already unique. Being different has many powerful advantages.

As a Family Coach, I will introduce you to concepts, tools, practices and strategies that will support you as you overcome the many obstacles and demands parents face.  Most parents only want the best for their children, but when life gets chaotic, as it well can given the freelance nature of the film world, parents can lose perspective and a disconnect between child and parent can result. A family coaching relationship offers a way of empowering parents to discover their own parenting answers. It offers encouragement and support as parents continue to make important choices, on a daily basis, that shape their relationships at home.

With my support, parents, teens, “tweens” and young children can stay connected and thrive, not just survive, the unique entrepreneurial experience of Film.