The Missing Piece That Helped Me Actually Understand Gentle Parenting

I tried doing everything right.

I’d read the books.
Listened to all the experts.
Saved every post about “what to say when your child is dysregulated.”

I believed in gentle parenting with my whole heart.
But in the heat of a moment, when my kids were arguing for the sixth time that morning, or my youngest was in one of his moods where it felt like anything might set him off…..everything I knew flew out the window.

Suddenly, I wasn’t responding.
I was absorbing.
Absorbing all the stress.
The tension.
The weight of trying to get it right when it all felt so wrong.

And I’d catch myself thinking:
“Why can’t they just stop? Why does it have to be this hard? Can’t we just enjoy the day.”

I’d start begging them to calm down, desperate to salvage the mood, blaming them silently (or sometimes out loud) for “ruining” what could’ve been a lovely morning.

It wasn’t the gentle parenting that was failing me.
It wasn’t that I didn’t know what to say.
It was that I didn’t have the regulation, the tools, or the capacity to meet that moment as the parent I wanted to be.

It’s Not About Fixing Every Moment

What I’ve learned… slowly, with practice and lots of self-compassion… is this:

You don’t need to fix every hard moment.

I know right. We want a magic fix! But nope I can’t give you that.

What I would like to share though is this…

You don’t need to absorb your child’s stress like it’s your fault.
You don’t need to hold the weight of making every day a perfect adventure.
You don’t need more pressure.

What you do need is space to breathe.
To pause.
To recognise that your kids having big feelings or having “bad” moods doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re parenting real humans, not robots.

And if you or your kids are neurodivergent on top of it all?
That might mean emotional intensity might be part of the picture more often.
So let’s make space for that, too.

That’s Why I Created Breathe & Be

Breathe & Be is my new program that goes far beyond parenting theory. It’s a support system that helps you:

• Regulate your own nervous system so you can respond with calm
• Practice simple, embodied tools with your child that actually work
• Ditch the guilt and learn how to honour emotions (without spiralling)

It’s where I teach my signature P.L.A.Y. Method to support children with calming practices that will support them (and they even get a certificate at the end!)

The P.L.A.Y. Method:

🌿 P = Pause and Presence
Anchor yourself and your child with playful breath practices that fit into real life.

🌿 L = Listen to the body
Learn how stress shows up in your child, and yourself. Build emotional awareness gently, with compassion.

🌿 A = Acknowledge
Validate feelings (without fixing), and practice conscious language that helps your child feel safe being exactly who they are.

🌿 Y = Yoga
Calming movement, meditation, mindfulness, and breath woven into your days, even if it’s just five minutes in the kitchen while dinner cooks.

You don’t need to change your whole life.
You just need small practices that help you reconnect, with yourself and your child. Especially when it’s hard!

And because I know this journey can feel big, Breathe & Be includes:

✨ Real Life Support with Regular Live Calls (Coaching calls just for you and Family Sessions to join in with your child)
✨Recorded Lessons so you can work through them at your own pace
✨ Gentle support (not pressure!) as you grow and thrive together

Join The VIP Waiting List

Breathe & Be Waiting List

You’ll go from:

• Feeling powerless during meltdowns
• Reacting with guilt, shame or frustration
• Wondering why nothing you’ve read is working
• Absorbing your child’s stress and losing your joy

To feeling:

• Grounded in your own nervous system
• Confident in your ability to support emotional moments
• Empowered with playful tools that bring you closer, not further apart
• Proud of the safe, connected home you’re creating

And your child will:

• Build awareness of their body and emotions
• Learn how to pause and breathe when things feel “too much”
• Practice calming techniques they can return to anytime
• Receive a special certificate of participation to celebrate their growth

Join here.

Your parenting doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to be intentional.

And if you’d like to get started with something quick and simple today, you can grab my free guide:
🎁 5 Must-Know Breathing Practices for Kids
Simple, playful tools to help your child build emotional awareness and return to calm.

👉 Grab it here

Because thriving isn’t about avoiding big emotions.
It’s about learning how to move through them — together.