PLAYGROUND
Help is here!
As kids, we all wondered at one point or another why our parents couldn’t put themselves in our shoes. Didn’t they remember what it was like to be our age? Couldn’t they empathize with the desire to stay up past bedtime, eat just one more donut or ride your bike blindfolded down that impossibly steep hill? Now that we’re mothers and fathers ourselves, we understand. We understand that parents see consequences that kids don’t, that broken rules can lead to lifelong bad habits, and that all that nagging was done out of love.
Unfortunately, better understanding the motivations of our parents doesn’t make it any easier for us to connect with our kids. That’s especially true today, when the world in which our children are growing up is so different from the one we experienced. The influence of social media, endless access to instant gratification and the upheaval of the pandemic have made it doubly difficult to relate to our twenty-first century teens.
The Dangers of an Unbridged Divide
While parents can comprehend the fact that our kids are facing unprecedented obstacles, temptations and stressors, that knowledge alone doesn’t help us relate to them. Meanwhile, the lack of connection can make parents feel frustrated and hopeless, while creating a fragility in the relationship that inhibits their ability to provide the guidance and care their child needs. Allowed to grow unchecked, that gap can foster alienation on both sides that may linger well beyond the teen years.
You’re Not Alone
Jessica Villegas remembers all too well how difficult her teenage years were. She grew up without many advantages, mentors or positive influences, and lacked the skills to cultivate a solid sense of purpose and direction. In conversations with younger colleagues over the course of 20 years in the corporate world, Villegas came to realize that the challenges she had faced growing up were not unique. Many of their stories revealed the same feelings of privation that she harbored. As the pandemic unfolded and its effects on young people became apparent, Villegas could see that the problem would only get deeper and more widespread. It was at that point that she decided to help rebuild those bridges that were being washed away.
The Birth of Hi-Lite Coaching and Consulting
In January of 2022, Villegas founded Hi-Lite Coaching and Consulting, a team of success coaches that applies the tenets of the Empower, Transform and Achieve coaching program to bring about real change for families and individuals. The program focuses on social emotional development, teaching participants introspection, critical thinking and organizational skills that help them align their visions of the future and work together to make that shared vision a reality.
“By reducing stress and anxiety, and improving performance, our program helps young people become active participants in their lives as opposed to passive observers,” said Villegas. “Many of our clients achieve levels of success they never thought possible, while seeing huge improvements in their peer and family relationships.”
Hi-Lite: A Big Impact in a Short Amount of Time
Just over a year after launching, Villegas and her team have already helped over 120 families navigate these complicated waters. In addition, Hi-Lite has formed partnerships with local schools, small businesses and the University of Central Florida, where Hi-Lite serves as Alumni Career Coaches. Hi-Lite is also working with a local non-profit, Legacy Events for Education, to create a college prep program geared specifically toward parents of middle and high schoolers. You can learn more about the upcoming session they have here: College Prep 101 Parent Edition
“Our clients come away with a deeper sense of self and a feeling of control and excitement about what they can do,” Jessica explains. “There is no doubt when our young people win, so do the people in their lives.”
Hi-Lite Coaching and Consulting offers private coaching, group programs, family programs, and business services. Their dynamic and highly experienced coaches support young people in their private and family lives, and in the places that educate and employ them through custom programs, camps, workshops, and leadership training.
Learn more about Hi-Lite’s current offerings here:
- Summer Life Skills Camp, offered in June and July: Level Up Life Skills Summer Camp
- Winter Garden Group Program, starts March 29: Middle + High School, Boba + Coaching Cohort
- Downtown Orlando Group Program, starts March 27: Middle + High School, Coffee + Coaching Cohort
- Oviedo Group Program, starts March 28: Middle + High School, Boba + Coaching Cohort
- Learn more about current program offerings here
Inquiries and more information: http://www.hilitecoaching.com/
Maddy Zollo