In 2019 I was working as a nursery school principal, a role I loved deeply.

Early childhood education had been my life for decades. Supporting young children, guiding teachers, and working alongside families was not just my career, it was my purpose.

Then everything changed.

After a series of spinal surgeries and months in hospital, I found myself in a wheelchair. My body had simply stopped cooperating with the life I had always lived so actively.

For the first time in my career, I had to step away from the classroom.

I truly believed it was the end of my professional life.

Leaving the nursery was heartbreaking. I had never imagined I would give up the work that had meant so much to me for so many years.

And then something unexpected happened.

When the World Went Quiet

When COVID arrived in 2020, the world suddenly experienced something I had already been living through, being confined to home, separated from the routines and communities we loved.

At that time the government asked me to contribute to a daily radio show to support families who were suddenly navigating life at home with young children.

Parents were overwhelmed.

Nurseries were closed.
Children were confused.
Families were trying to work, parent, and cope with uncertainty all at the same time.

Each day I shared guidance, reassurance, and practical ideas for families trying to support their children through an unfamiliar and stressful period.

And something very important happened.

I realised that even though I was no longer standing in a nursery classroom, I could still make a difference.

A New Way to Support Families

That experience changed everything for me.

Instead of working with the families inside one nursery, I began supporting families far beyond the walls of a school.

Through conversations with parents, I saw just how many families were struggling with early childhood challenges, particularly potty learning.

Parents were overwhelmed, unsure where to turn, and often feeling judged for things that were actually very normal parts of development.

That is what eventually led me to create Happy Families and The Potty Queen Method™.

My work shifted from leading a nursery to supporting families directly, helping them understand their children and approach early childhood with calm and confidence.

Returning to School Leadership

In 2024 I returned to something I had always loved and helped set up a new school.

Being back in that environment felt incredibly meaningful.

But very sadly, my health challenges returned once again, and I found myself having to step away from that role too.

It was a difficult moment.

But this time I understood something I hadn’t fully realised before.

My work with families had already grown far beyond a single school building.

The Work Continues

Today I continue to support families through my courses, consultations, and community.

The format may look different from the classroom I once led, but the purpose remains exactly the same.

Helping children thrive.
Helping parents feel supported.
And making early childhood a calmer, more confident experience for families.

Life did not unfold the way I once expected.

But in many ways it opened a path that allows me to reach and support far more families than I ever could before.

And for that, I am deeply grateful.

With love

Lisa xx