Breathe & Learn with Laura

27/02/2026

Love this!

We’ve ALL had moments when something didn’t go to plan, that’s just life. And we’ve maybe felt annoyed, frustrated, angry, sad… and we’re adults.

Children feel this disappointment often when playing, building, creating.

Does your child show frustration and meltdowns when things don’t go their way?

BREATHE family, 1:1 and group sessions can all tackle this and give your child and family tools to manage these big emotions and frustrating moments.

Also, as a teacher, it frustrates me so much when children don’t ask for help if stuck like they think they’ll get in trouble for not understanding!! Please remind your children it’s ok to ask for help 🙏

©️The Contented Child

26/02/2026

🍃All emotions are OK!🍃

I love the Inside Out films and all the characters in it have their time!

BREATHE sessions can help your child understand and manage their emotions through fun mindful games and crafts 🥰

25/02/2026

We often use a body scanner and this is very similar. It’s important to pause for a few minutes to relax. Focusing on all the different body parts while you relax them, I think distracts your brain from any other thoughts, stresses or worries. Also a good way to help wind down and get to sleep after a busy day.

Stop.

Just for a moment.

Unclench your jaw.
You’ve been holding it tight, haven’t you?
As if staying tense might somehow keep everything from falling apart.

Soften your brow.
You don’t have to frown at the future.
It hasn’t happened yet.

Relax your shoulders.
Feel how heavy they are.
You’ve been carrying so much — expectations, worries, memories, conversations that won’t leave your mind.
Let them drop.
You are not meant to carry the whole world.

Take a slow breath in.

Not the shallow kind.
The kind that reaches the bottom of your lungs.
The kind that reminds your body you are still here.

Hold it.

Now let it go gently.

Again.

In…
and out…

Notice your hands.
Are they tight?
Open them.
You don’t have to grip so hard.

Notice your chest.
That ache?
It’s okay.
It just means you care deeply.
It means you’ve loved deeply.
It means you’ve tried.

You have been so strong for so long.
Quietly strong.
The kind of strong that keeps smiling, keeps showing up, keeps saying “I’m fine” when your heart is tired.

But you don’t have to be strong every second.

It’s okay to feel the weight.
It’s okay to admit this hurts.
It’s okay to miss what’s gone.
It’s okay to be overwhelmed by what’s ahead.

You are human.

Right now, nothing else matters except this breath.
This moment.
This small space where you are allowed to just exist without fixing, proving, or pretending.

The world can wait.

The messages can wait.
The expectations can wait.
The answers can wait.

You cannot pour from an empty heart.

So breathe.

Let your thoughts slow.
Let your heartbeat steady.
Let your nervous system remember that not everything is an emergency.

You are here.
You survived every hard day before this one.
Even the days you thought would break you.

You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to soften.
You are allowed to take up space without apologizing for your exhaustion.

Stop bracing.

Nothing is chasing you in this moment.

Just breathe.

In…
and out…

You are doing better than you think. 🤍

25/02/2026

🐣Easter Holidays BREATHE Sessions🐣

One off BREATHE sessions in the Easter holidays.
Whether your children have been before or you wonder what it’s about, send them along for something relaxing and fun to do in the Easter holidays. Bring some friends for Easter crafts, games and fun!

Let me know if interested ASAP to secure a space!

24/02/2026

Children need practice feeling disappointed.

Not huge, overwhelming experiences.
The small, everyday ones.

The toy that breaks, the party that is cancelled, the sleepover that doesn’t happen.
The expensive gift they don’t get and being told no to chocolate before bed.

To us, these are minor. To kids, these are not. And that is exactly why they matter.

When we rush to fix, replace, or give in just to stop the upset, we are remove important learning.
The tears might stop faster, but so does the chance to build their tolerance.

Instead, we stay steady and strong for our kids. We let them feel what they feel.
We don’t shame any emotion.

They might cry or sulk - they will protest - and then they recover.

That recovery is the skill.
Their brain is learning that disappointment is uncomfortable, but it totally survivable.
Their feelings pass.

This is how resilience grows, not through lectures but through lived moments.

Preparation made for any bigger ones that come later.

That’s not being harsh. That’s parenting with the long game in mind.

24/02/2026

Donald’s sessions are fantastic!!

🌸🐣 Easter Egg-stravaganza Spring-Fling Holiday Camps! 🐣🌸

We’re so excited to be running our first holiday day camps this April!

We’re keeping it special and running just two days over the Easter break:

📍 Tuesday 7th April – Whitekirk Hill, East Lothian
📍 Wednesday 8th April – Meadowfield Park, Edinburgh

🕙 10am – 3pm
👧 Suitable for children aged approx. 5–12 years

👉 Find full details and book here:
https://www.wildsidenature.com/events/spring-fling-easter-workshops

We will be celebrating spring with:
🎨 Spring crafts
🥚 Easter egg hunts
🌲 Den building & shelter making
🐛 Wildlife discovery & nature games
🌼 Lots of fun in hammocks, slacklines and plenty of other woodland activities

Best day ever is a regular comment from children that attend our holiday days!

We can’t wait to welcome back our regular young explorers — and meet new ones too!

Spaces are limited and we’re only running these two days, so booking early is recommended.

👉 Find full details and book here:
https://www.wildsidenature.com/events/spring-fling-easter-workshops

Any questions at all, just get in touch — always happy to help.

24/02/2026

🍃Bedtimes🍃

Lots of children struggle to sleep for many reasons.

We follow a bedtime routine, screens off at 8, we play card or board games together then its shower and bed time…

However, big emotions often decide to surface when trying to relax and switch off. Rethinking the day, worrying about tomorrow, remembering homework, nerves about friendship dynamics, an overactive brain thinking about a Minecraft build and how it could be improved even better tomorrow…

We need to try not to yell at our kids to go to sleep, it’s not always that simple for them. Instead we need to support their nervous system, there are lots of things to try:

🍃bath or shower.
🍃gentle massage.
🍃body scanner - light meditation to help our brains switch off and relax.
🍃relaxing music.
🍃read a story, once you’ve read one (or 2,3…) listen to an audio book.
🍃Soft lighting, it’s ok to need a light on!
🍃cuddy toy or comforter.
🍃soft fidget - not to be played with to stimulate the brain, but to gently fiddle with to soothe.
🍃weighted blanket - helps the feeling of security and safety.
🍃stay with your child - one many parents don’t want to do but only 5-10 minutes of sitting with them maybe tickling an arm, hugging, singing, or just being there, helps your child feel safe, relaxed and therefore ready to sleep (better than leaving them and they then call on you or come downstairs, repeatedly!)

23/02/2026

Through BREATHE I find it fascinating how easily young children pick up the different parts of our brains which are controlling our emotions, BREATHE sessions hep children and families learn and understand why we have big emotions, that these emotions are all ok, and how we can manage these through appropriate reactions to help transition to recovery and calm 🥰

SECOND CHANCE SUNDAY

When your child’s behaviour suddenly flips into “fight, flight, freeze, or fawn”… it can feel personal.
Like they’re choosing to be difficult. Like they’re ignoring you on purpose.

But what’s often happening is simpler (and far more human): their brain has sounded the alarm.

When the amygdala thinks there’s danger (real or imagined), it pulls the body into survival mode fast.
Thinking brain goes offline. The body takes over. Big reactions show up because your child is trying to feel safe.

And as a parent, understanding this process matters because it changes the question from:
“What’s wrong with my child?”
to
“What does their brain think it’s protecting them from?”

That shift helps you respond with steadier boundaries, more effective co-regulation, and a lot less shame for everyone.

If you’d like more calm, child-friendly brain science (and what to do in the moment), the Child Brain Explained Toolkit, comprising over 130 pages for £4.25. Comment BRAIN in the comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

23/02/2026

The wonderful Pauline Lawson from EmotionAll with Pauline Lawson is having an open day in her studio.

🍃I’ll be there to share my BREATHE work so if you’re keen to find out what happens during BREATHE sessions come along and see!🍃

Address in comments 😊

22/02/2026

🍃Last chance to book a place in this term’s BREATHE class🍃
We’ll be focussing on
🤔understanding emotions, regulation😮‍💨and looking after our own mental wellbeing🥰 all through fun, mindful activities.
Monday 2nd - 30th march 6-7pm.

21/02/2026

As mentioned a few days ago. I’m not saying remove screens (I’m on one now📲) but too much screen time can affect our mental health. Ensure your child/ren have screen time limits, no screens at the dinner table or before bed. Small changes could make a huge difference.

20/02/2026

🍃What is emotional literacy?🍃

Emotional literacy isn’t just knowing some words linked to feelings.
It’s understanding different feelings or emotions, the cause of the emotions and how we might react, knowing different parts of our brains controlling these emotions, ways to manage these emotions when they get big, and understanding how others are feeling.

BREATHE sessions help you and your child understand different emotions, why they’re feeling them and how to help manage them. All through mindful and fun activities good for emotional wellbeing.