We were lucky to catch up with Gopi Gita Schomaker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gopi Gita, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

Defining Moment #1:

During the pandemic, I saw children of all ages, but primarily ages 3 to 5 and 13 to 16 ish struggling with friendships. It was a widespread issue. As I guide over 100 schools across North America, and am the Vice principal of a private school in Dallas, I was surprised by the intense social affect the pandemic (and social distancing) had on our children and teens. I found that I was able to work with parents in solving these social issues – and that leaning on my childhood experience with the bhakti philosophy, and implementing mantras and meditation made a massive difference in their children’s confidence, and ability to be accepted by their peers. Also, we found that children became magnetically attractive — going from not having any peaceful friendships, to having social calendars filled and happy slumber parties and birthday parties.

Those experiences are what were the defining factor for creating Leadership Parenting. It started off as a book, and I submitted my proposal to an Indie Publisher. After the book launch it quickly became an Amazon Best Seller. I launced courses and online coaching side by side, and it was so popular that it reached 6 figures within less than a year. Parents were finding the strategies easy to implement, and reaching their goals within 3 to 4 weeks! Like kids putting away their screens, teenagers going from avoiding their parents to wanting long conversations, 12 year olds asking their moms how they can help them in the evenings, 6 year olds knowing what words to use when there was a fight with a friend, and more. It’s been phenomenal to be a part of this.

Defining Moment #2: My sons brain tumor — and what that experience opened up for me.

Gopi Gita, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been an educator for over 20 years, teaching as a Lower Elementary classroom teacher. I’ve been Vice Principal for half that time, and guide over 100 schools across North America as an education minister for an international society.

I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was 9, I read ‘How to talk so kids will listen’ by Adele Faber at the same time and then proceeded to boss my mom around (she was pretty annoyed about that.) I felt like I knew how children felt and could help the world understand it.

I can help guide parents and teachers to empower happy relationships with their kids/students, and happy friendships between children, to neutralize defiance, to turn arguments into agreements, to engage kids from screens to happy chores and play, and motivate and connect with teens.

Leadership Parenting has had 100% success so far, and served more than 250 parents in the past two years since its launch.

I’m proud of my own boys (who are now young men) and that I’ve able to learn so much from them that has been incorporated into Leadership Parenting. And I’m mostly proud of my clients, who really teach me by finding the courage to dig deep and grow into the leaders they want to be.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Here, I can share the story of the tumor.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn unhealthy parenting habits of controlling my kids, yelling, getting frustrated, feeling inadequate, and frustrated.

Backstory: when my 12 year old older son sat me down and had a serious conversation with me about what wasn’t working. I can share that story.

Contact Info:

• Website: leadershipparenting.com
• Instagram: www.LeadershipParenting
• Facebook: LeadershipParenting
• Linkedin: Gopi Schomaker
• TikTok: @leadershipparenting

Image Credits
Radha Young