This sounds freaky on one hand, and very cool on the other.  The new trend in parenting is to get yourself a parent coach, with the idea that executives, sports stars and other professionals have coaches, so why not parents, since it is one of the most important jobs you’ll ever do.  I suppose we all end up using coaching services in some way, whether formally or informally, through our kids’ doctors, teachers, friends and oh yes, grandparents.  It is interesting that programs are available to formalize that relationship and train people who want to help others develop their parenting skills. 

The topic of this Babyzone article was news to me, and I can see where it would be a useful service for parents who do not have family nearby or want a more independent assessment of their parenting approaches.  There is also a school specifically for parent coaches, and a quick browse through their coach directory demonstrates that these are very experienced, well educated folks who have decided to take their experience in a new direction.  Many are former teachers, so they know first-hand about child development and some of the joys and challenges of raising kids.  If you think you might be interested in finding a parent coach, try googling on parent coaching, or visit one of the schools I found at http://www.thepci.com.