Lara Ann West

Home
South Africa
Cape Town
Lara Ann West

I support the next generation—and the adults guiding them—by teaching the social and emotional skills we all wish we had growing up.

21/09/2026

What is your child's "potato"?
What if you started your conversations with that?

13/09/2026

Your child just said or did something that they thought was harmless and yet somehow their friend is now upset. To you, it may be obvious why. But your child may be genuinely confused and not understand why the friend is upset.

Validation is key: Let them know you can see their confusion or frustration of being misunderstood. And that you can see how that must hard.

Then depending on the circumstances, remember that the lesson can come later, not in the heat of the emotion.

The emotional charge usually only last about 90 seconds. So depending on the intensity of the situation and the emotional charge, the lesson and skill building can happy a few minutes later or a few hours later.

What skill is needed here? Probably perspective and empathy.

This is where we usually jump in with "how would you feel if your friend did that to you?"

But if your child's perspective of the words or actions are still unchanged and they see different intentions, they're very possibly going to feel perfectly okay with the situation reversed. And likely feel even more confused.

So instead, using open questions can be super impactful

- what else could they think you meant?
- what do you think they might be feeling?
- how could you maybe say what you said differently?

These type of questions build perspective and empathy which, let's be honest, we need these muscles flexed as much as possible in our world currently 💚

This is precisely the kind of moment we work through and skills we build together in mentorship. It's not lectures, just practice through connection and fun!

03/09/2026

What I love most about this is that we’re not really sitting down to learn about trust, friendship or relationships.

We’re exploring them through a world they already LOVE.

The characters give them enough distance to ask difficult questions without having to immediately make everything about themselves. And because they created the characters, they get to decide what happens next.

The most meaningful conversations with young people happen when you stop trying to have the conversation you think they need to have, and instead enter the world they’re already curious about.

I’m so excited to see where these two take their characters next!

[This is still unfolding, and I’ll share more as their story develops.]

29/08/2026

Here's something you can try tonight, no session with me required.

First, explain the idea to your child: imagine that inside you, there's an invisible cup. It fills up all day with everything you experience: the good, the hard, the overwhelming, all of it.

Every time we move our bodies, take deep breaths, have a quiet moment, or get a hug, it helps empty a little bit out, so the cup doesn't overflow and make a big mess everywhere.

Once they understand the idea, try this before a hard conversation like homework, screen time, whatever it is:

Ask your child to rate their cup out of 10.

Zero is empty and calm. Ten is completely full and about to spill over.

If they say anything above a 7, pause the conversation and give them (and honestly, probably you too) a few minutes to help empty the cup a little first.

Maybe you put on their favourite song and dance it out, lie with your legs up the wall, go for a walk in the garden or around the block, give a biiiiig bear hug with pressure.

So much conflict happens because we're trying to have a "logical" conversation with a nervous system that's already flooded. No amount of good reasoning gets through when someone's cup is spilling over.

This is exactly the kind of tool we build together in mentorship. Want to go deeper? Link in bio.

21/08/2026

Hello, so glad you're here 👋
I'd like to introduce myself and will start by saying that I love to connect with humans and hear their stories. So, if you'd like to connect, feel free to pop me a DM and say hi 🤗

Now I know that when you invite someone to work with your child, you aren’t simply choosing a service, you are trusting them with a relationship that matters enormously. So, I want to tell you clearly who I am and what I bring to that relationship.

Children have always been at the centre of my world. Long before I became an educator, I was the one at gatherings playing outside with the kids instead of chatting with the adults.

That connection came naturally, but instinct alone isn't enough. Nearing my 30th rotation around the sun, I felt an undeniable pull to shift my work — which led me to becoming a qualified school teacher and yoga teacher, working across rural South African classrooms, international schools in the Middle East, art rooms, workshops and long-term mentorship.

Those experiences taught me how to use connection responsibly:
• How to earn trust without demanding it.
• How to bring intention into playful moments.
• How to adapt to the child rather than force them through a rigid script.
• How to maintain clear boundaries.
• How to turn a genuine relationship into a place where meaningful learning can happen.

I also genuinely love spending time with children. I am intrigued by their humour, their unusual questions, their stories, their intensity and the wonderfully individual ways they make sense of the world. The relationship matters because the child matters, not as a technique to get cooperation.

I’m neurodivergent myself, and that lived experience shapes the curiosity, flexibility and respect I bring to children who may experience or engage with the world in their own unique way.

I'm also clear on what I'm not: I'm not a therapist, counsellor or healthcare professional. I don't diagnose or provide clinical treatment. If a child may benefit from support outside my scope, I'll say so.

Curious to learn more and explore whether Family Mentorship and my group workshops could be a fit? You'll find both links in my bio.

18/08/2026

What exactly is Family Mentorship?
Simplest answer: it's child-centred skill-building, supported by the family.

I work directly with children on the emotional, social and everyday-life skills they're still developing, like confidence, friendships, big feelings, communication, growing independence.

It's personalised, because two kids with the same struggle often need very different support.

Relationship-first is how I work. The relationship I build with your child, and with you, is what makes the skill-building possible.

And here's what surprises a lot of parents: the impact often reaches you too. As your child practises, you might catch yourself picking up the same things, like pausing, communicating more clearly, repairing after conflicts, knowing when to step in versus step back.

This is educational and mentorship-based work. It doesn't replace therapy or clinical support when those are genuinely needed, it can sit alongside them.

Curious if it's a fit for your and your child? The next step is a Connection Call or find out more info. Link's in my bio.

Address

Cape Town

Telephone

+27620515911

Website

http://www.laraannwest.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lara Ann West posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Lara Ann West:

Featured

All 4 Events hub
7580

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Cape Town?