Breathe & Learn with Laura

13/01/2026

Autistic Barbie… she has ear defenders, a fidget ring and a communication tablet. What are your thoughts?💭🤔

I’m in 2 minds.

1. Representing autistic people as being accepted in society, and Barbie building on their availability of diverse dolls. They now have a variety of skin colours which I appreciate for one of my children who took her Dad’s skin tone, she used to often play with the chelsea doll who “looked like her” 🥰 she also had a doll in a wheel chair, one with glasses, and curvier barbies. You can buy barbies with prosthetic legs and Matell’s first aim, showing Barbie with all different careers and hobbies. All of this showing children that we are all different but should all be included.
Autistic Barbie doesn’t just have autism but she has brown skin and is a girl (there’s still a lot of peole who associate autism with boys). Fab!

But…

2. My autistic son’s words when I showed him autistic barbie last night, “that’s so stereotypical, I can talk and not everyone with autism wears ear defenders, I wear loops now”!! He also mentioned how anyone could be autistic, they don’t look any different. Maybe original barbie had autism.
I can’t help but kind of agree with him when autism covers a huge spectrum. Should Matell maybe have just brought out an accessory pack?

Or is she a good representation of many people with autism? Like many my son has ear defenders, now wears loops as more subtle at high school. He relies on many fidgets for different situations. And a lot of people with autism do struggle with communication and reply on tablets to help them navigate day to day life. So maye this is a good way of teaching children why the boy in their class wears those ‘headphones’ or the girl in their Brownies group is allowed her tablet, or why there’s kids in their class who get to bring wee toys to school… 🤔

10/01/2026

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒As parents we often worry about our children’s learning and how they’re doing compared to their peers. As a teacher I know that children who are the same age might be at completely different stages in their learning, so I’ve never compared mine, or in fact worried too much about where they’re at. Just like learning to sit, crawl, walk and talk, children develop at different rates… academic learning is no different. They will progress in their own time and get there in the end with a little extra practise than maybe their friends need.
🧑‍🧒This is what I love about tutoring, helping children to make progress at their own pace, in their own way in areas they are finding tricky. It doesn’t concern me that my own child is a little behind in numeracy than where she should be but now that it’s impacting in her confidence and making her not want to go to school I am going to look for a tutor (crazy I know when that’s my own job!)
📋I have a waiting list for tutoring because parents, like me, want the best for their children and the main thing I work on with many children is building their confidence and bringing back the joy in whichever areas they are needing support in.

🥰However, emotional literacy is even more important than academic ability.
A child needs to have good emotional literacy, understand we all have different strengths, have a growth mindset and be regulated before they are ready to learn.
🍃My child has been practising the breathe approach with me for 2 years at home now and also attending my breathe classes. I feel she is ready to understand her difficulties and work with someone to practise her numeracy to then make improvements. All in all hopefully building her confidence back up. 🥰

📲To help your child develop their emotional literacy and help them be ready to learn and take on life’s ups and downs along the way, get in touch to book them into the next block of breathe sessions, for 1:1 sessions or a family session.💙

07/01/2026

Anyone else relate to this? I used to get told J was shy and quiet, he wouldn’t say boo to goose but he’d get home from nursery or school and be screaming at me, throwing stuff around and trashing his room. Typical coke can effect. It’s much better now that he understands and has more control of his emotions but we still see glimpses (as expected) and I’m predicting a return of it at times now we’re hitting teenage years. Hopefully he’ll continue to use his tools and strategies he knows help him🤞

06/01/2026

05/01/2026

🎉Happy New Year!!🎉

👋Lots of new followers over the Christmas period so for those who don’t know me I’m Laura, I have 2 children (boy age 12 in S1 & girl age 10 in P5) and I have been a primary teacher for 20 years, with lots of experience through all stages as well as social, emotional and behaviour support and Support for Learning.

🎨I love art, and got a new kit for Christmas to reintroduce me to this. I do Breathe sessions to help others with their mental health and wellbeing but like many Mums usually forget my own. My new year’s resolution is to have more me time and start drawing and painting again.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒I also love to spend time with family and friends eating out, going on holidays and going to the theatre (doesn’t happen as much as pre kids!)

🎲As a family we love games nights. This holiday’s favourites were dobble connect, okay play, jenga and a firm favourite: Taco cat goat cheese pizza!! Lots of laughs!

🍃I did my Breathe approach training last summer and have been running groups, family sessions and 1:1 sessions since.

😊Family and 1:1 sessions are planned individually to meet your family needs, but all sessions follow the same calm approach focusing on breathing, relaxation, exercise (yoga for the body/games for the mind), affirmations, and teaching of simple neuroscience to develop emotional literacy and understanding of our emotions and behaviours. We learn tools to help with regulation and wellbeing.

🍃My hope is that through BREATHE sessions children (and families) will learn the tools they need to have more control over their big emotions, build on confidence and resilience and feel more calm in day to day life, all through fun, games and crafts.

Well done if you read this far 😂

📲If you’d like more information please get in touch through DM or email lauradenson2705@gmail.com

05/01/2026

🍃Still spaces… 🍃

😊Looking for calm this year? Helping your child develop their emotional literacy doesn’t just mean they’ll be happy and know feelings words, emotional literacy is understanding emotions, why they’re happening, and knowing how to deal with big emotions when they crop up, as well as understanding and empathising with others 😊

DM or email lauradenson2705@gmail.com to book 📲 (payment plans can easily be arranged in this financially tricky month)

28/12/2025

🍃How would you like more calm in your home in 2026?🍃

New sessions starting in January with spaces available.

Group sessions Mondays 5.15-6.15, Peebles.
1:1 and family sessions available to suit your family needs.

Message me for information, to put your child’s name down or to get booked in.

08/12/2025

With Christmas on the horizon we are all so busy and can experience all types of meerkat moments caused by excitement, exhaustion, overwhelm to name a few. We discussed lots of things we can do to settle these big emotions and to bring some calm to a chaotic month.

One thing we all agreed on was drawing or crafting so we did some Christmas craft while listening to quiet Christmas music 🎶🎄

(And a wee craft to take home and use over the holidays when feeling the need to relax ☺️)

06/12/2025

DM or email lauradenson2705@gmail.com 😊

03/12/2025

Book now for your 1:1 or family sessions in the new year. 2 1:1s and a family already booked so limited time available. Contact me for more information and new year discounts, if booked before Christmas 🎄 🎉

02/12/2025

🍃it’s time to book your child’s space on the next block starting Monday 12th January🍃

🍃For existing group members to continue or new members to come along.

🍃Sessions help with understanding emotions, regulation, empathy, confidence and resilience.

🍃All through relaxation, mindfulness and craft.

£54 for the 6 week block, to be paid in the new year, but book your space now through DM or email lauradenson2705@gmail.com

02/12/2025

We are all good at different things and also all have goals. If we believe in ourselves we can achieve 🙌🌟