When I had my first child, Leon, in 2018, I had no idea how to navigate this new world and new little person. Sleep was for the weak, and our life revolved around bottles, boob, nappies, and coffee dates. Once he became old enough to sit unsupported, I began to experiment with sensory set ups, and we went to a few baby groups that provided sensory play. Leon loved sensory play, but was always very specific as to what textures he liked/disliked. As he got older it was apparent that he was very sensory oriented and needed specific sensory input to enable him to stay regulated - this was very tiring and time consuming and even though we have worked hard to create an environment he can thrive in, it is still a daily battle with lots of tears. 

Our 2nd child, Sophie, was born in 2022. Leon was absolutely besotted with her from the start, and spent 6 months doting on her, helping with "milkies" and playing peekaboo with her. Then she learnt to crawl, and then she learnt to stand, and then she learnt to walk, all in very quick succession! Before long the sibling rivalry started and what once worked to calm Leon down, we found we had to adapt to suit both their needs. 

Sophie's needs where inherently different to Leons, she was a very fast-paced, on-the-go, bull-in-a-china-shop, love-it-all, kinda gal! And still is! She accompanied me to every messy play class I did (Back when I was Little Messy Explorers), and loved getting stuck in and covering herself head to toe in every session. Sensory needs wise, whilst Leon needed somewhere quiet, safe and relaxing that he could get away, Sophie needed an open space where she could run and burn off any excess energy. Luckily with me and my partner now both working from home we could accommodate this some days, but on the days they where both feeling overwhelmed and I was with them on my own and also feeling overwhelmed? I found I was at a loss as to what to do, and felt I had no-one to turn to for support, as no-one knew their needs like I do. Thats where my idea for LSW came into play. What if there was a place, where parents can reach out for support, day or night, to get ideas as to what to do when they're at the end of their rope and need the kids to calm down for 5 minutes. Or a place where parents can download easy, go-to, activities that can be set up within 5 minutes, and engage their children so much they spend hours playing with it. Or a place where parents can do a quick 5 minute course, to understand their child better, and how to cope with their child's emotions and their own emotions, when everyone is at level 100 and burnt out for the day. 

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I truly hope that every parent who is here today, in my little corner of the world, finds something here today that helps them, and helps strengthen that everlasting bond they have with their children. 

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