Early years

empowered parenting:

An Aware Parenting immersion to Navigate the Wonderful World of Early Childhood (Ages 1-5)

unlocking the secrets of toddlerhood

Empowered Parenting is a live five-week immersion and also a self-paced course that provides parents with the knowledge and tools to confidently navigate their child's emotional journey, creating understanding and nurturing a secure parent-child connection during the critical toddler years.

Empowered Parenting is a trauma-informed approach to raising children and ourselves.

IMAGINE…

  • Feeling equipped with the tools and strategies to handle challenging situations like mealtimes, transitions, and screen time with confidence, so that you can create a more peaceful and harmonious family dynamic.

  • Enjoying a harmonious family life where you no longer walk on eggshells, fearing meltdowns and desperately seeking to avoid them, but instead, holding loving limits and embracing a deep understanding of your child's emotions and knowing how to support them through it.

  • Feeling confident and calm as you navigate your child's tantrums, responding with compassion and understanding, so that you can build a strong connection and provide them with a safe space for emotional release and healing.

  • Infusing joy and fun into your parenting journey, embracing the power of independent play so you can get things done and using attachment play to help your child through difficult situations. 

  • Creating the kind of relationship with your children that is built on a foundation of love, respect and presence so that you can help your children be their truest, most authentic selves.

this course is for parents…

  • Who are seeking guidance as their child enters the toddler phase. 

  • Of slightly older children (up to the age of 6) who are seeking to change the way they relate to their children, focusing on connection and compassion.

  • Who have tried using rewards, bribes, punishments, or time-outs but feel that these approaches don't align with their values or haven't been effective in improving their child's behaviour.

  • Who struggle with challenging situations like mealtimes, transitions, and screen time, and are looking for effective tools and strategies to navigate these situations with confidence.

  • Who are  ready to invest in their own personal growth as a parent, reflecting on their own childhood and shaping the kind of relationship they want to have with their child as they grow up.

  • Who feel like nothing they've tried is working and are searching for answers, wondering when this challenging stage will pass.

  • Who may not be enjoying the toddler or preschooler phase as much as they expected and feel guilty for wanting it to end or questioning if it ever will and are looking for support and reassurance. 

  • Who resonate with approaches such as Montessori, RIE, Pikler, but are new to Aware Parenting.

  • Who are familiar with Aware Parenting and are looking to deepen their understanding and practice of this transformative approach.

Hola!
I’m maru

Mexican, climber, parent to 2 young children. Advocate. Aware Parenting Instructor… and more

I had the “luck” of having a baby who didn’t sleep. After 6 months of gruelling sleep deprivation I discovered Aware Parenting and a third way with sleep. It changed my perspective on babies and children so much that within 2 years I had qualified as an Aware Parenting Instructor with the aim of helping more parents understand children’s true nature. 

I am also an elimination communication (EC) and potty training consultant and I support parents with any toileting related concerns.  

I believe we are living in a critical moment for humanity.  Having gained a deep understanding of child development and emotional well-being, through a trauma lens, I firmly believe that changing the way we parent ourselves and our children is the only way we’ll change the course for our world.

I love supporting parents every step of the way and being there for the aha! moments, the tears, the rage and the joy. I believe a better, more compassionate world is possible when we become comfortable and connected with ourselves and with others.

  • “Really enjoyed doing Maru's course together with my partner. It gave us heaploads of food for thought and ideas for whenever things get tough with our little one. I've started getting a bit more comfortable with holding her emotions and playing when I feel myself getting activated.”

    - Mirela

  • “I really loved Maru’s approach to sharing her knowledge and wisdom. She teaches with authenticity and compassion and shares a refreshing mix of lived experience and science. The course was life changing and the reminder I needed to block out all the external noise, and bulls*it pressure, that comes with being a first time parent. I can now respond to my own individual child’s needs with confidence and an approach that resonates with me and my family. It was brilliant to do the course with my husband and get us back on the same parenting page. I have recommended it to every parent that will listen. The pace is so accommodating. Highly recommend!”

    - Candice

  • We loved joining Maru's "unlocking toddlerhood" course. It was delivered incredibly thoughtfully, with no judgement, and endless tips and ideas for how to parent with fun/play at the centre of everything. Our son was 18months when we started the course and really feel that it's helped us talk early on about how we want to parent and the approach we want to take as he grows into his independence and own ideas. Thank you Maru!

    Jo & Ben

  • All the courses we have done with Maru have allowed for us to learn to trust and respect our child when it matters the most, it has also enabled us to care for ourselves during those challenging and often triggering times too . Throughout the 'Unlocking Toddlerhood' sessions, both my partner and I felt reassured that this was the way we wanted to support our child in their emotional growth. It really helped that Maru often gave examples, helping to better understand a scenario and offering suggestion on how best to support our child. Parenting a toddler is hard work, but with these extra tools, we can now do it with the intention to better support the whole family unit.


    Candyce

  • It was both reassuring and enriching. I felt my personal experience as a parent was genuinely appreciated, and I gained a lot from Maru's nuanced understanding of authentic child-parent relationships.
    I like that there is an informal edge (and humour!) to the conversation which makes it feel that I'm speaking with a fellow person rather than a 'professional'.

    Debbie & Simon

  • “Maru's course has familiarised us with the principles of Aware Parenting and has given us simple and clear guidance on how to apply them. Having these tools to hand has made me feel much more confident about parenting our toddler and has allowed me to enjoy time with him more! “

    Jo

  • “Parenting Together has transformed our understanding of toddler emotions and actions, and as a result will transform our approach to parenting. Everything I learnt makes so much sense and is already bringing more fun to parenthood, but I wouldn't have got there without the course. So glad we invested the time and trust in Maru!

    Celia

  • “Maru’s way of sharing her knowledge on aware parentIng, from personal experience with examples from her own life, made it very accessible and real.”

    Fer

what’s included?

4 video modules

Uncover the weekly themes in easy to access video content. Each week is roughly 60 mins for you to watch in your own time, then come to the live session for further details and to ask questions.

lifetime access

I trust your timing. This is not school!

If life gets in the way the course will be here. If you need to revisit something weeks or months later, it will be here too.
The investment is for both co-parents and I highly recommend coming to the live calls together.

5 live group sessions*

Dive deeper into each theme, learning and exploring together. The last 45 mins of each session are for you to ask questions, bring your real-life challenges and get compassion and support. (*Live round only)

detailed handbook & resources

A comprehensive PDF that you can use along with the content or share with family members.
Your questions and needs will shape part of the course. I will share resources, links, books and more according to your needs every week.

30-min 1:1 consultation

You get to book a 1:1 session with me! You can use at any point once the course starts and up to mid-July. Whether you’re looking for listening time or practical support, this is your time with an Aware Parenting Instructor.

community

In the closed community (not Facebook) you can ask questions, find support & reassurance in between sessions.

week by week

  • The first week is all about introductions and new beginnings. We’ll introduce ourselves. I’ll introduce how the course works and the key concepts behind Aware Parenting.
    We’ll start de-conditioning and looking at what beliefs we hold about young children that may not be true.

    We’ll get on the same page about what children are really like, so we can know what to expect of our relationship with them. This is a 45 min practical session.

  • What is mis-behaving?
    Once we’re clear on the WHAT, we’ll look at the WHY.

    Recorded content: fostering cooperation and low-demand parenting. How to gain cooperation from young children without resorting to threats, punishments nor rewards.

    Live class: Understanding stress and trauma. Navigating the sources of stress and trauma for toddlers and how to reduce them.


    From 8:45 Q&A & practical workshop

  • Recorded module: Understanding tears, tantrums and rage. The power of empathetic and compassionate responses to tantrums, meltdowns, and other intense emotions. 

    Live class: Loving limits. How to support your child's emotional well-being, create a safe space for expression, and reduce the frequency and intensity of emotional outbursts.
    Reparenting invitation.

    From 8:45 Q&A, troubleshooting

  • Recorded module: Playful parenting, attachment play & Independent play.
    Discover the healing properties of play, learn techniques for infusing joy and fun into parenting and fostering independent play.

    Live class: Becoming a playful parent, inner child play.

    From 8:45 Q&A & practical workshop

  • Recorded module: Food and screens. Effective approaches to sleep and screens that respect your child's individual needs, your family needs and our biological expectations.

    Live class: Sleep, bedtimes and more.
    Gain insights into the connection between emotional well-being and healthy sleep and eating habits.

    From 8:45 Q&A & practical workshop

FAQs

Who is the immersion course suitable for? 

The course is designed for parents with children aged 1 to 5 years old. Whether you have a baby who is just starting to toddle or a slightly older child transitioning into the toddler phase, this workshop will provide valuable insights and guidance to support your parenting journey.

I can’t make all the live sessions… 

That’s ok! Everything will be recorded so you can access it on your own time. You can also post any questions you have in the closed community hub and we’ll answer them during the live Q&A.

I want to join the course, but I really can’t afford it…

Email me and we’ll figure out a solution that works for both of us, whether that is an extended payment plan, a larger discount or a skills exchange. It’s my desire that all parents who really want to learn this approach have the opportunity to do so. Because I truly believe this is not *just* about parenting, this is about having the opportunity to change the course of the world.

I've tried different parenting approaches before, but nothing seems to work. How is this workshop different?

The Empowered Parenting immersion takes a holistic and empathetic approach to parenting. We go beyond specific strategies and scripts by helping you understand the underlying causes of your child's behaviour and emotions. Through this deep understanding, you'll learn how to respond with compassion, reduce tantrums, and build a stronger connection with your child. This workshop offers a transformative shift in your parenting approach, empowering you to create a more peaceful and joyful family life.

Can I take part in the immersion if I follow a specific parenting approach like Montessori, RIE, or Pikler?

Absolutely! The course welcomes parents from all parenting backgrounds, including those who follow Montessori, RIE, Pikler, or no specific approach. The workshop provides a foundation of understanding that complements and enhances your existing knowledge and beliefs. You'll gain valuable insights and tools that can be integrated into your own parenting style.

What is the duration and format of the Unlocking Toddlerhood immersion? 

The live round of the immersion consists of four sessions, each lasting one and a half hours, plus an introductory 30-min session. There are weekly videos of around 60 minutes, which you can watch in your own time.

The workshop is conducted in a small group setting, allowing for personalised attention and opportunities to connect with other like-minded parents. The sessions are interactive and engaging, combining informative discussions, practical exercises, and Q&A sessions to ensure you leave with a deep understanding and practical tools to apply in your daily life.

The self-paced course includes everything except for the live Q&A sessions.

There is also a 30-minute 1:1 consultation with Maru which you will book separately.

Got another question? Get in touch here or via the icon on the top left-hand side of this page