Parenting in Holland

Nicola has been in the Netherlands since April 2004 due to her partner’s career with a Dutch bank.  Nicola has come into contact, as an English speaking expat and parent with the help and challenges of consultatiebureau, ziekenhuis, kinderdagverblijf, peuterspeelzaal and now international schools.

Originally from the UK and a HR specialist in London, Nicola moved to Dublin when she was 5 months pregnant in 2002 thinking it would be easy to be an expatriate spouse and mum for a year or so.  She knew no-one, wasn’t working, didn’t know that the health and maternity system would be so different nor did she know anything about babies (this was her first!).  Luckily she found a fantastic GP, an experimental midwife group, a maternity acupuncturist and friends through using an internet resource.  Hence she greatly believes in the information and benefits of websites such as Parenting in Holland.

Coaching expatriates since 2006, Nicola has experience of the myriad issues of living abroad.  It can be hard enough to get a balanced and enjoyable life in your home country!  One area she feels strongly about is confidence in self as a parent.  As a mother she instinctively knows what is right for her son, which allows him to be his own person (not necessarily to fit into a UK, Dutch or other culture), but has found at times her confidence was challenged as she didn’t know how the system worked.

In 2007 she trained with Next Generation Coaching in the UK to become a trainer and coach of coaching skills for parents.  This in combination with her personal experience of being an expat parent and her knowledge as an expatriate coach offer a unique resource to Parenting in Holland.

Nicola is a postgraduate trained Coach and Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development (MCIPD) who founded Live Life Now Coaching, an expatriate coaching and advisory service, to assist expatriates in finding fulfilment in their new life abroad.
Website:  www.livelifenowcoaching.com
Tel 06 50958239