It’s a New Season of Parenting
Many young adults today feel stuck, frustrated, lonely, socially isolated, ashamed, and overwhelmed. They may be facing challenges with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and/or ASD.
They need support to move forward.
Their parents and caregivers need support, too.
I call this critical transitional period
Ascending Adulthood.
Welcome!
I am Tracy Bailey, a Certified Parent Coach and the
founder of Tending Growth. Tending Growth supports parents and caregivers of young adults who are struggling to make progress, gain confidence, and build social connections as they reach for greater independence.
Through my Tending Growth process, I will help you (and your partner) rebuild confidence as a parent and reconnect to the spirit of the young adult you knew as a child. We’ll develop thoughtful strategies to help you work together, regain trust, reaffirm trust, and strengthen your connection with your young adult and family.
Together, we will focus on better communication (verbal and non-verbal). Using the Appreciative Inquiry process, we’ll follow the 4 D framework: discover, dream, design, and deliver to guide us. We’ll practice ways to intentionally reduce conflict and strengthen your connection with your partner and young adult. You’ll learn to support them without taking over tasks they want to manage themselves.
I’ll work with you directly. Your young adult will not participate in our sessions. Parent coaching is for working on the relationship between the caregivers, to unite them, or to agree to disagree respectfully. We’ll develop shared parenting strategies, approaches, and responses that you both can respect and follow.
Many terms describe this transitional period following late adolescence, such as "young adult," "emerging adult," “established adult,” and "failure to launch," but none fully captures the growth and positivity of “ascending adult.” I believe this stage deserves recognition of hope, achievement, and a continuous process of growth.
I’ll use these terms throughout the website, based on context, and to reduce redundancy. My preferred term, and the one I’ll use for impact, is “Ascending Adult”
I have worked for decades in ascending/young/emerging adulthood. Initially as a dorm parent and residential life director, in admissions, at wilderness and young adult residential programs, and as a certified Career Coach and certified Parent Coach. Most recently, I owned and served as executive director of Onward Transitions, a non-residential transitional program for young adults in Portland, ME.
By leaving all that behind and starting Tending Growth, I shifted my focus to create a new parent-coaching practice for Ascending Adults. Parent coaching is a much-needed and rapidly growing field, but it is not a substitute for therapeutic treatment. If you believe you may need more than coaching, please consult your primary care physician, your local mental health resources, or an educational consultant for guidance. Great resources for learning about therapeutic schools, programs, and community are All Kinds of Therapy or the Therapeutic Consulting Association.
In any emergency or crisis situation, please call 911
I’m based in Bath on Maine's beautiful Mid Coast and provide coaching nationwide via video.
Tracy Bailey
Certified Parent Coach dedicated to supporting parents of ascending adults.
Co-Founder of a transformative program designed specifically for young adults.
As a Parent Coach, I offer coaching, not therapy. My approach is practical, collaborative, strengths-based, and future-focused. We work on what’s happening now, identify what you want to change, and discuss actionable steps you can take to move in that direction. Parent coaching can complement any therapy, treatment, or other professional services your young adult or family may already be receiving if all providers agree.
We live in a rapidly changing world.
Hope is what drives positive change.
Growth is directional,
but not linear
It’s all about hope. Watching your young adult navigate this new phase of life in these extraordinary times can be overwhelming. It's completely normal to feel anxious, especially as the journey to adulthood looks different today than it did in the past.
Your ascending adult’s choices may differ from, and conflict with, your values, and that can feel uncomfortable. This misalignment can create tension, but it’s an opportunity for growth—for both of you.
Today, ascending adulthood is a different (non-linear) and sometimes much longer path. This phase isn’t about ticking off boxes; it's about understanding that your grown child may take a unique, winding, bumpy road to reach their own sense of independence in their own time.
As you support your ascending adult, remember that their path will not follow traditional milestones. “Mistakes” will be made. Finding the right balance between offering guidance and giving space is tricky, and it’s okay to feel uncertain. Their choices might not always align with your values, which can create tension but also opportunities for growth.
Focus on being there for them—listening and encouraging them as they find their way. Being present in their lives is one of the most important things you can do.
Feelings are genuine experiences, but they do not always reflect the truth.
Each of us has a personal narrative and belief system shaped by our upbringing in a different time. The world today is changing at an unprecedented pace.
We’ll work on recognizing and validating your young adult's feelings in this complex, ever-evolving environment very different from our own “growing up”. By doing this—while avoiding your own biases and anxieties—you can help nurture trust and confidence.
You’ll learn to be more mindful of the language you use. Phrases like “When I was a kid…” can unintentionally shut down communication. Instead, focus on listening actively and engaging with their experiences without comparing them to your own. This may open dialogue and enhance your relationship.
Small changes can become a series of wins - for you, your ascending adult, and your family.
How Tending Growth can help your family
We all understand that you cannot control the choices your young adult makes, but through coaching, we can work together to guide interactions positively and change your reactions and next steps. Subtle, intentional changes can improve the entire family dynamic.
Tending Growth is NOT THERAPY.
It is not a substitute for therapy.
Tending Growth offers coaching, not therapy. My approach is practical, collaborative, and focused on moving forward. We’ll use an Appreciative Coaching framework and examine your 5 D process: define, discover, dream, design, deliver. We’ll talk about what worked and how to do it more often.
Coaching may also complement any therapy, treatment, or other professional support your young adult or family may already be receiving, with approval from all parties.
Sweet Pea may join us as well!
Coaching for those who show up
IT’S A NEW SEASON OF PARENTING
You will not know exactly what needs to change before reaching out. You just feel that your current approach isn't working as you hoped, and you're ready to explore new options.
We’ll start with a conversation about your situation, the challenges your family has been facing, and the changes you would like to see. Together, we'll determine if Tending Growth is the right fit for you.
My practice is intentionally very small. I work with select families who are ready for coaching.