Start Here: Gentle Support for Mothers in Melbourne

A gentle order of operations

1. Stabilise first. Start with a one-minute reset, then come back.

   Before fixing anything, help your nervous system settle.

   ☐ Pause for one full minute (set a timer if that helps)
   ☐ Place one hand on your chest or belly
   ☐ Take 3 slow breaths — longer exhale than inhale
   ☐ Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw
   ☐ Name one thing you can see, one thing you can hear
   | You don’t need clarity yet. Safety comes first.

2. Reduce demand. Choose one small next step for you and one for your child.
   

   Lower the load so everyone can cope.

   For you
   ☐ Choose one tiny task only (drink water, sit down, text someone, step outside)
   ☐ Let go of anything that is not urgent right now
   ☐ Replace “should” with “what’s possible”

   For your child
   ☐ Pick one achievable expectation (not everything)
   ☐ Offer a choice instead of a demand
   ☐ Allow rest, quiet, or regulation before learning or talking

   | Less demand = more capacity.

3. Save what helps. Build your “hard day kit” so future-you has support ready.
   

   Support future-you before the next hard day arrives.

   ☐ Write down what helped this time (even if it was small)
   ☐ Add one comfort item to your hard day kit
    – snack, tea, fidget, playlist, note to self
   ☐ Save a grounding phrase that works for you
   ☐ Keep this list somewhere easy to find

   | You’re not starting from scratch next time – you’re building care in advance.
   

   Gentle reminder

   ✔ You don’t need to do all of this
   ✔ Even one checkbox is enough
   ✔ Hard days don’t mean you’re failing – they mean you’re human