A Mother’s Story: Growth, Joy, and Gentle Support

Finding Calm in Everyday Routines

Daily routines became the foundation for my daughter’s sense of safety and independence.

I could feel her understanding deepen — her natural curiosity and independence gently took root

From the time my daughter was only four months old, Eri placed great care on building a gentle rhythm to each day — a steady routine that helped her feel safe and grounded. With warm, reassuring words and a calm, predictable flow, she guided my daughter to begin recognizing, “When I finish this, next comes that.”

Over time, that simple rhythm became the anchor of her emotional security. I could feel her understanding deepen, and her desire to try things on her own naturally grow.

Eri always respected my thoughts and wishes when shaping our daily routines. She shared her observations with kindness and openness, allowing me, too, to respond to my daughter with consistency, confidence, and ease.

Positive Discipline: Nurturing Emotions and Self-Expression

My daughter learned to understand and express her feelings — and I felt supported, too.

My daughter gradually began to express herself openly and clearly

She showed how to respond with empathy first, without scolding, and then gently guide my daughter toward solutions

Eri is certified in Positive Discipline, and her care extended not only to my daughter but also to me as a mother, supporting my own emotional well-being.

She began by teaching my daughter about emotions — not just happiness, sadness, anger, and joy, but a wide spectrum of feelings — using illustrated cards and posters that made it easy for a young child to understand. My daughter gradually began to express herself openly and clearly: “I felt sad,” for example. Seeing her recognize and communicate her own emotions has been a huge help in daily life, and I truly feel she is growing into a genuinely open and expressive child.

Eri also taught us that a child’s behavior may have hidden intentions we can’t immediately see. She showed how to respond with empathy first, without scolding, and then gently guide my daughter toward solutions.

During the “terrible twos,” my daughter’s clear insistence on what she wanted could be challenging, but Eri would acknowledge her feelings, offer choices, or use songs and stuffed animals to help her shift her mood. Now, at age three, my daughter eagerly helps set the table — asking, “Which placemat should we use? Which cup?” — and even when she resists brushing her teeth, Eri’s cheerful songs help her switch her mood and complete the task on her own. At three years old, I feel my daughter has developed the emotional foundation to overcome small challenges independently and confidently.

Encouraging Courage at the Table

Nurturing her “I want to try!” spirit, turning mealtimes into moments of courage and discovery

Through mealtime, my daughter grew from being hesitant about new experiences to fearlessly trying new things

When we first started solids, Eri fully honored my daughter’s “I want to try! This is fun!” attitude — even when it meant messy faces, hair, and floors. She engaged wholeheartedly, always with a smile, and encouraged my daughter to explore her curiosity. I looked forward to the daily photos and detailed updates, which captured all these joyful moments.

As my daughter moved into toddler foods, picky eating became more noticeable. In these moments, Eri guided her gently, starting with simple observation of new foods and allowing her to take small steps at her own pace. Through this patient approach, my daughter, who had once been hesitant about new experiences, learned to take on challenges with courage.

At three years old, my daughter can eat almost anything and approaches new foods with fearless curiosity, making every mealtime a joyful, shared adventure — a gift from Eri that has enriched our family meals and filled us with gratitude.

English, Music, and Cultural Experiences

Through language, music, and cultural experiences, my daughter’s world expanded.

From simple greetings to the names of objects and English songs, she taught my daughter in ways that were clear and engaging

Through international cultural experiences, my daughter’s learning and understanding deepened

Knowing that Eri is bilingual, we asked her to do the sitting in English. From greetings to the names of objects and English songs, she taught in ways that my daughter could easily understand, and it was evident in her curiosity and engagement. The way my daughter absorbed pronunciation by ear amazed us — she sounded almost native! It even became fun for us to ask her, “How do you say this in English?” and hear her respond confidently.

Eri is also musically talented. She would sometimes bring a ukulele and sing while playing, or teach simple English songs with simple choreography, and my daughter delighted in performing them.

She also placed great importance on annual celebrations — Halloween, Christmas, birthdays — and, drawing on her international school experience, she shared Western cultural practices with my daughter through hands-on experiences. For example, she explained how Christmas Eve traditions are celebrated — including leaving out cookies and milk for Santa — which was not only fun for my daughter but also a learning experience for me. Thanks to Eri, our understanding deepened, and the cultural knowledge we hope to pass on to our daughter became even richer.

Gentle Support in Tough Parenting Moments

She met my anxious feelings with compassion, empathy, and gentle guidance.

“Have you been struggling with anything lately?” she asked kindly

Eri approached every concern as if it were her own

When my daughter was slower to wean than expected, and I was struggling to balance work and parenting, Eri gently asked, “Have you been struggling with anything lately?” For the first time, I was able to share my worries.

Even speaking about them felt like a relief, but Eri went further: she explored multiple solutions, summarized them in a clear guide, and shared step-by-step strategies that helped my daughter wean naturally. With her professional advice and genuine care, I felt supported time and again during the exhausting balancing act of work and parenting.

Creative Play & Hands-On Activities

She nurtured creativity in everyday life while creating cherished parent-child memories.

My daughter still fondly recalls the fun and creative ideas Eri brought to life — whether carefully planned or sparked in the moment, each one was special and full of joy

Eri turned ordinary household items — empty boxes, bottles, and other recyclables — into delightful crafts, from toy storage projects to surprise Mother’s Day gifts. Whether thoughtfully planned or spontaneous in the moment, each activity left a lasting impression on us.

Even today, we treasure the single-stem carnation filled with sparkling beads that Eri made. She also stepped in to help with projects I had promised my daughter but couldn’t complete myself — from plastic plate and ribbon pom-poms to clay ghost figures — and even made fruit ice pops together on hot days. Whether the projects were thoughtfully planned or spontaneous bursts of creativity, my daughter still remembers and talks about these experiences, a true testament to Eri’s creativity, flexibility, and her dedication to making play both meaningful and joyful.

Organizing for Independence and Confidence

Thoughtful and intentional environment setup helped my daughter shine with independence and confidence.

“I can do it myself!” — my daughter beamed with pride and joy

Balancing work and parenting left me with little time or energy to manage the growing clutter of daily life.

Eri thoughtfully organized my daughter’s belongings, making sure everything had its place and that items were accessible to her little hands. Thanks to this, my daughter naturally began helping out and proudly exclaimed, “I can do it myself!”

Seeing the importance of creating a supportive environment and experiencing how it helped our daily routines run smoothly has been invaluable. We are deeply grateful for Eri’s guidance and support.