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 stage of development
Ascending Adulthood.
Welcome!
I am Tracy Bailey, a Certified Parent Coach and the founder of Tending Growth. Tending Growth supports parents and caregivers of ascending adults aged 20- 40-ish who struggle to make progress, build confidence, and form social connections as they reach for greater independence.
Many terms describe this transitional period following late adolescence, such as "young adult," "emerging adult," “established adult,” and "failure to launch. After working together for many years, Dr. Darrell Fraize and I recently coined an alternative term that we believe fully captures the growth and positivity of my preferred term: “Ascending Adult.”
I have worked for decades with ascending adults. 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 co-founded, owned, and served as executive director of a non-residential transitional program for young adults in Portland, ME.
Tending Growth is not a substitute for clinical, 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.
Tending Growth will help you (and your partner) rebuild confidence as a parent and reconnect to the spirit of the ascending 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.
I’ll work with you directly 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.
Tracy Bailey
Certified Parent Coach dedicated to supporting parents of ascending adults.
Co-Founder of a non-residential transitional program for young adults in Maine
As a Parent Coach, I offer coaching, not therapy. My approach is practical, collaborative, gender affirming, 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. We’ll update goals and methods as you all make progress.
I’m based in Bath on Maine's beautiful Mid Coast and provide coaching nationwide via video.
We live in a rapidly changing world.
Hope is what drives positive change.
Growth is directional,
but not linear
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 ascending adult may take a unique, undulating road to reach their own sense of independence in their own time.
As you support your young 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.
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 a complex 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.
How Tending Growth can help your family
You can’t control the choices your young adult makes. With Tending Growth, we can work together to guide interactions positively and shift your reactions and next steps. Subtle, intentional changes can improve the entire family dynamic.
Small changes can become a series of wins - for you, your ascending adult, and your family.
Tending Growth is NOT THERAPY.
It is not a substitute for therapy.
Tending Growth offers coaching, not therapy. My approach is practical, gender-affirming, collaborative, and focused on moving forward. Ascension happens gradually and continuously for you and your young adult.
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!