Miryam Marti - from nanny to mammy

What if it all goes right?
What if it works out beautifully?
What if this is the thing that changes everything?

Autonomy turns work into play.

Join us for the 36th Annual RIE® Infant-Toddler Conference for Parents and Professionals.

Nature’s Path for Play: Creating Conditions for Authentic Playfulness

🗓 March 27–28, 2026
🎤 Keynote: Peter Gray
🎙 Featuring Ani Shabazian

This morning, I went to a new eye doctor for my regular thorough eye exam. The initial intake person--who was super nice, no complaints-- went over all my history and questions and medications and all that, like they do. And she reminded me of my work here because she spoke exclusively in "we" statements and questions:

"What medications are we taking?"
"Are we having any vision disturbances?"
"Did we want a new prescription today?"

You get the idea.

It was fine. She was friendly. And it (quite predictably) felt really odd, for all the reasons I frequently write about. With that in mind, I thought it was a sign that it's time for a rerun of this graphic:

Each time a parent chooses to pause, listen, and respond with empathy rather than escalating a difficult moment, they interrupt patterns that may have been passed down for generations.

These small, intentional choices accumulate over time, reshaping how conflict, emotions, and relationships are experienced within the family.

In choosing empathy, parents actively create a calmer, safer, and more connected family story for their children to grow into.

Any thoughts?

Every child, every person, even a tiny baby deserves time on their own. I don’t mean all alone in isolation, but a time when no one is talking to them, or expecting anything of them, and definitely not interrupting them.