OVER Belinda
Over Belinda
Belinda works with children individually, but also together with parents. She also coaches children in groups. According to her, her work is always about "that children learn about themselves, that they recognize their talents and learn how to best use them." Another important goal is "increasing self-confidence and learning to form of positive thoughts."
Belinda (39) was born in The Hague, she is married to Johan and they have three children. Sebastiaan 14, Reinier 12 and Suzanne aged 8. They have lived in The Hague all their lives
Belinda works in the building at Laan van Meerdervoort 1689, where she learned the trade of dental technician and dental prosthetist from her father Ruud Straka since 2000. In 2011 she founded her own dental prosthetics practice, where she says she has always enjoyed working.
After obtaining her certificate as a children's coach, her practice room was transformed into a pleasant, light environment with all kinds of materials that Belinda uses in her work with children.
School trips
After high school I was often in two minds. "I thought for a long time whether I should learn the trade from my father or do something with children," she says. At that time, the decision was made in favor of dental technology. “But the interest in working with children still tickled. In the meantime, I had also become a mother myself and that experience made me make the switch."
“From the moment my eldest son entered primary school, I have been accompanying him on school trips as an accompanying parent. I usually had a group of six to eight children with me and had the best outings. How? I didn't correct the children. If something happened that wasn't allowed, I taught them to choose something else instead. They were allowed to come up with the solution themselves. For example: What do we do if we have to be quiet at the bird exhibition? And how do we do that? And what reward do we give ourselves when we succeed? Or: How will we ensure that everyone is happy on the bus again and that no one gets lost? This way I let children think for themselves and come up with solutions.”
"I often hear from parents that children love being with me: 'They always come home cheerful and with all kinds of stories. How do you do that?' Yes, I have a lot of patience with children, but above all I have a lot of trust in them. I let them be who they are without judging. They invite me to look into their world and I can watch and listen with admiration."
Bullying is a problem and coaching helps!
There are many reasons why children end up in Belinda's coaching practice. One of them is bullying at school. "Bullying is a problem that has a lot to do with it," she says. "A child will almost never tell their parents because they are afraid of the parents' reactions: 'What will my father or mother think of me?' But the parents do see signals that things are not going well: headache, stomach ache, sadness, no self-confidence, not sleeping well, less cheerful, quieter, declining school performance. These can all be signs of bullying.”
Belinda also provides coaching and training to children, giving them the knowledge and skills to grow on a social-emotional level. "With specific parent-child training, parents and children work together on self-confidence, self-esteem, resilience and a positive mindset." She never assumes that the child has a problem. She puts it positively: "The child has something to learn."
Parents practice too!
Belinda likes it when parents are present at one or more sessions: "I see the reaction of the parents. They are open to change and do so together with their child. This benefits the child and the parents a lot. Because how nice is it if, after a number of sessions, you notice that your child is becoming more resilient, has more self-confidence and self-esteem, is better able to set boundaries and provides you as a parent with tools to help your child better?''
Coming up with solutions yourself is an important part of Belinda's way of coaching. “When children learn what their talents and qualities are, they can use them to find their own solutions. When they notice that they are stuck, they know that they have learned to think in terms of solutions. In addition, asking for help if something doesn't work out is very good. Asking for help doesn't mean giving up. It means that you refuse to give up.'' With those last sentences she quotes Charlie Mackesy, the British illustrator and author of the popular children's book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, translated by Arthur Japin.
Threshold
For some parents, the threshold for contacting a children's coach is very high. "Shame or a sense of failure can play a role in this," Belinda says. "But parents must consider what benefits it can bring for the child and for them to come. Then suddenly the threshold is no longer so high.”
When saying goodbye, Belinda has some advice for parents with young children: "Look and listen to your child. Don't wait too long to make an appointment if you as a parent have the feeling that something is wrong with your child, because coaching can do so much."
Thanks to:
Text: Anja Knoope
Published in the Hague neighborhood magazine Vogelwijk, June 2022 edition
During the process my son made enormous strides. He has more self-confidence and enjoys going to school again
Chantal, The Hague
Wouw Belinda is so good with children, she listens well and respects the child. She taught my daughter and me how to come up with solutions in difficult situations. Highly recommended
Betty, The Hague
