The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast

EP 52 | The Impossible Standard of the “Good Teacher”

Teaching has a funny way of becoming more than a job. For many of us, it becomes part of our identity and the way we measure our worth.  In this episode, I sit down with Carissa - former teacher, school leader, coach, and mum - to explore what happens when our identity becomes tangled up in being a "good teacher", and why so many educators carry impossible expectations of themselves. Together, we unpack the pressure to be everything to everyone, the self-sacrifice that often gets mistaken for commitment, and why learning to separate who we are from what we do can be one of the hardest lessons of all. You'll hear: ✨ Why so many educators tie their worth to productivity and achievement ✨ What motherhood taught Carissa about identity, self-worth, and success ✨ The hidden pressures behind being a "good teacher" ✨ How comparison, perfectionism, and external judgement keep us stuck ✨ Why self-awareness and self-trust matter more than having all the answers ✨ The power of small ripples and why change doesn't have to be huge to matter This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and deeply reassuring. If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough, not being enough, or carrying the weight of impossible expectations, this one's for you. Connect with Carissa on Insta @whole_brain_classroom [https://www.instagram.com/whole_brain_classroom/] Download Carissa's freebie: A Simple Way to Check-In With Yourself As a Teacher (Without the Guilt) [https://9dcr3b.subscribepage.io/] Want to know how to respond to baffling behaviours better? Click here to download my free guide with 45 behaviour scripts inside! [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/behaviour-scripts] Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram @littlebloom.consultancy [https://www.instagram.com/littlebloom.consultancy/] Visit my website www.littlebloomconsultancy.com.au [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/]

EP 51 | Is the Education System Stuck?

A few weeks ago, I shared a post on Instagram that struck a nerve by giving voice to something many of us had been quietly carrying: the feeling that something isn't sitting right in education right now (check out the post here [https://www.instagram.com/p/DXgSPrcE3Ym/?img_index=1]). In this opening episode of The Bigger Than Behaviour Series, I unpack the thoughts, questions, and grief that inspired the series in the first place. I ponder what happens when children, families, educators, and leaders are all struggling, but we're too busy pointing fingers to see the bigger picture. You'll hear: ✨ Why labelling my feelings as grief allowed me to get a good sense of the tension I'm carrying ✨ The blame cycle that keeps showing up in conversations about children, families, educators, and schools ✨ Why behaviour has never felt simple enough to be explained by a single cause ✨ What happens when children's circumstances change, but our systems don't ✨ The question I can't stop asking: is the education system stuck? ✨ Why I haven't yet reached the point of sheer hopelessness This episode is a little different from my usual content. It's personal, vulnerable, and probably raises more questions than it answers. If you've ever found yourself wondering whether it's just you, whether anyone else is carrying these thoughts, or whether education feels harder than it used to, I think you'll find yourself in this conversation. Want to know how to respond to baffling behaviours better? Click here to download my free guide with 45 behaviour scripts inside! [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/behaviour-scripts] Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram @littlebloom.consultancy [https://www.instagram.com/littlebloom.consultancy/] Visit my website www.littlebloomconsultancy.com.au [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/]

EP 50 | What Warm Authority Looks Like: Rethinking Discipline in the Early Years

Warm authority isn’t about controlling children - and it’s not about “letting them get away with things” either. In the final episode for Season 4, I dig into one of the most misunderstood aspects of behaviour support: what it means to hold your authority without slipping into power-over or permissiveness. This is the episode I wish every educator and assistant could hear before heading into a new year. You’ll hear: ✨ The critical difference between discipline and punishment ✨ Why high warmth and high expectations is the sweet spot for behaviour support ✨ The expectation gap: how unrealistic adult expectations derail connection ✨ What warm authority actually sounds and looks like in real moments ✨ How to lead with swagger (without threats, bribes, or giving in) This one is packed with powerful mindset shifts, real-life scripts, and supportive scaffolding. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck between being too soft or too strict, this is your roadmap back to confident, calm leadership. Want to know how to respond to baffling behaviours better? Click here to download my free guide with 45 behaviour scripts inside! [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/behaviour-scripts] Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram @littlebloom.consultancy [https://www.instagram.com/littlebloom.consultancy/] Visit my website www.littlebloomconsultancy.com.au [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/]

EP 49 | Belonging is More Than Inclusion: What Children Tell us Matters Most to Them

Just because a child is included doesn’t mean they feel they belong. In this powerful episode, I dig into what belonging actually looks and feels like for children - beyond the buzzword, the policies, and the Pinterest-perfect classroom. Drawing on compelling Australian research and real-world reflection, I unpack the difference between showing up and feeling held, and how our beliefs and biases shape belonging more than we realise. You’ll hear: 🤝 How children define belonging - and what helps them feel like they belong 🤝 The everyday language, routines and rituals that quietly send the message “you matter here” 🤝 How to navigate a child’s sense of belonging when you’re not feeling connected to them 🤝 How your inner stories about “challenging” behaviour can shape who feels worthy of belonging 🤝 6 tangible ways to bring belonging to life through environment, identity, rituals, and relationship If you’re someone who wants to move from saying belonging matters to making it matter, this one’s for you. Articles Belonging in their words: Exploring early childhood perspectives using the draw, write, tell method [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12218535/] Starting school in Australia: What gives young children a sense of school belonging? [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-025-01979-8] Want to know how to respond to baffling behaviours better? Click here to download my free guide with 45 behaviour scripts inside! [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/behaviour-scripts] Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram @littlebloom.consultancy [https://www.instagram.com/littlebloom.consultancy/] Visit my website www.littlebloomconsultancy.com.au [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/]

EP 48 | The Benefits of Music for Children’s Wellbeing and Social-Emotional Development

What if the most powerful co-regulation tool in your room didn’t cost a cent? Music has always mattered - and in early learning, it’s more than fun; it’s nervous system work. It’s behaviour support. It’s belonging in action. In this episode, I unpack the neuroscience, research and real-world power of music in early childhood settings and why it's one of the most under-utilised wellbeing tools we have. You’ll hear: 🎵 How music regulates the nervous system, even before words do 🎵 What the research says about music and social-emotional learning 🎵 Simple, spontaneous ways to embed music into your daily practice 🎵 How music supports identity, agency and rights-based participation 🎵 Practical musical cues, rhythms and reflection ideas to try tomorrow This episode is for you if you’ve ever felt like your days are chaotic, transitions are tricky, or you want to do more behaviour support without raising your voice. It's also for you if you’re curious about how music can support inclusion, belonging, and the emotional development of every child - especially those who don’t yet have the words. Want to know how to respond to baffling behaviours better? Click here to download my free guide with 45 behaviour scripts inside! [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/behaviour-scripts] Let's Connect! Join me on Instagram @littlebloom.consultancy [https://www.instagram.com/littlebloom.consultancy/] Visit my website www.littlebloomconsultancy.com.au [https://littlebloomconsultancy.com.au/]