Hi, I’mKristinMariella

Respectful Parenting educator, Montessori teacher, author, speaker, and mom of three.

Kristin sitting barefoot in a yellow jumpsuit, one hand at her neck

and if I hadn’t discovered the Respectful Parenting approach, I’d be completely lost.

Kristin laughing on the floor with her three children piled on her lap

My story

I know that without this method, I would be insecure, unsure, and inconsistent in my parenting.

I’d be stuck in some pretty unhealthy patterns, like resorting to bribes or threats, blaming my kids for making me snap at them, or seeking their approval before setting limits. And even worse? I’d have missed out on so much growth and healing.

But, thankfully, during one of my late night scrolls through parenting resources, I found Respectful Parenting. And it completely transformed the way I showed up as a parent.

It gave me clarity, and with that clarity came the relief, because I could finally relax.

I learned exactly what I needed to prioritise and focus on as a parent, so I could finally tune out the fear-based, mainstream advice that would have previously overwhelmed me and made me doubt my own instincts.

And, on top of that, I began to naturally notice all kinds of negative patterns and thoughts that weren’t serving me: things like harsh inner dialogue, constantly judging myself, and a strong fear of failure.

From there, I could consciously choose how to react. It was one of the most transformative shifts I had in my life.

“The moment I realised that how I was reacting to my kids’ behaviour had more to do with how I was feeling than what my kids were doing,
was the moment I understood that my main job as a parent had to be to keep myself emotionally healthy.”
Kristin Mariella

It’s that transformation that I want for you and every other parent out there struggling to set consistent limits, feeling frustrated by not knowing the “right” way to respond to tantrums, and crying in private because of the guilt they feel over not being the parent their kids need.

Where do I start?

As seen in

Psychology TodaySassy MamaRaised GoodNatural Parent MagazineChildhood PotentialLoveveryBaby and BreakfastLittle Child of Minembl.isDVMamma SuperheroPatch

So, what isRespectful
Parenting?

Respectful Parenting prioritises 3 core concepts:

  • Respect
  • Trust
  • Connection

In the most simplest words, Respectful Parenting is about treating your children like people, with the same respect, importance, and positive regard as you would like to be treated. We try our best to see the world through our children’s eyes and learn what their immature behaviour actually means.

In doing so, this approach teaches us how to hold space for the authentic child, support their emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills, and set clear, confident limits while protecting their sense of self-worth.

And to help us actually put these concepts into practice, the respectful approach requires us to hold up a mirror to ourselves. In doing so, we’re bringing radical awareness to our own feelings and triggers, understanding where our reactions stem from, and beginning to respond with the mature confidence, respect, and mindfulness we know our kids deserve.

250+
live workshops and talks
10+
years teaching Respectful Parenting
12,000
students
185,000
parents on Instagram
5
languages of subtitles in Welcoming the Waves

What I do

Three ways to learn with me

Online coursesWelcoming the Waves, and the two siblings coursesThree courses to take at your own pace, filmed from the workshops I’ve given live. 54 reviews · 12,000 studentsExplore the online courses
Kristin speaking to a full room of parentsSpeakingTalks and workshopsMore than 250 live workshops and talks, for parents, schools and teams.Book Kristin →The bookSometimes I Cry, Sometimes I LaughA children’s book about emotions. One book, two covers.Find out more →

TheRespectfulParentingBlog

Giving you all the tools to keep in your back pocket so you, and the entire family, can thrive through the ups and downs of parenthood.

Explore all posts

If you think respectful parents have to be put-together parents, let me prove you wrong.

Welcome to a typical day in the life of an ADHD mom.

  • I spend what feels like 32 hours getting out the door only to look back at my 2-year-old in his carseat and realise that he doesn’t even have his shoes on.
  • Showing up to school with my 4-year-old, fully dressed and ready to learn, only to be met by locked doors and not a soul in sight.
  • Throwing an adult tantrum where I kicked a door frame and literally BROKE MY TOE.
  • That one time I did drop-off proudly wearing my new hat, which still had the price tag sticking out in the back.

Hey, at least I can be sure I’m teaching my kids not to take life too seriously and that everyone makes mistakes, right?

Book cover: Sometimes I cry, a child in tearsBook cover: Sometimes I laugh, a child giggling

My book · Sometimes I Cry, Sometimes I Laugh

I wanted to write a book that I would feel good about reading to my own children.

One that conveys a healthy view of emotions. And while this is certainly a children’s book, I’ve also written it with their parents in mind.

See the book

My mission

I want us to raise a generation that doesn’t have to heal from their childhood.

Start with the free Personal Boundaries e-book, and a letter every other week.

Watch it here?

This plays with Instagram’s own player, which sets Instagram’s cookies. Or open it on Instagram instead.

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