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Writer's pictureFallyn Smith, MSW, PPSC

Parent Spotlight - Françoise Prandi



Name: Françoise Prandi

Location: Devon, UK

Children: Clara, 10 & Axel, 8

Occupation: Wellbeing Coach and Founder of My Mindful Cards, a unique family card

game which helps children develop a healthy sense of self.

It encourages self-discovery through self-reflection and helps parents develop a coaching approach. Your children get to create their own bespoke pack of cards by creating their own

mantras.

We will be launching very soon and you can receive an exclusive discount

prelaunch by emailing wellbeing@mymindfulcards.com.



What brings you joy as a parent?

I love seeing the world though the lens of my children. I cherish those moments they

have of discovery and self-discovery. The innocence of smaller children also brings

so much joyful laughter.


What are some of your challenges as a parent?

It can be hard to get the children to do what you need them to do, especially when

there is a cut off time involved! Like getting ready to go to school. Repeating the

same ask again and again can really take its toll. Remaining calm in those moments

can be challenging. This is where breathing techniques can come in

very handy!


What is the best advice you received or lessons learned as a parent?

To never tell our children to not do something without telling them what they should

be doing instead. Avoid the word “don’t” as much as possible as it can lead to so

much frustration. Explaining and demonstrating with empathy and compassion can

really alleviate tantrums.

“You shouldn’t do X because Y will happen” and explore together what they could do

instead. It also helps them understand the world around them with potential

consequences of actions they may choose to take. This can ultimately lead to better

decisions going forward.


How do you practice self care?

I practice meditation, incorporate mindfulness in my day and adore walks in nature.

We are very fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world which lends itself so well

to these practices.


How do you make time for your relationship with your partner?

We both work from home so are fortunate that we can choose to have some time

together during the day. Every now and again, we will have a date night where we

will have a trusted friend come and look after them for the evening. I think it’s so

important to have some alone time as a couple or you can gradually lose sight of

each other.


Are your parenting styles different from your partners?  How do you

manage parenting with your partner?

My husband is a planner, very black and white and loves discipline. I suppose you

could say I’m the naughty one, spontaneous, silly, frilly and love to go with the flow. I

think it’s great for the children to have this mix and to be able to demonstrate to them

how we respect each other despite our different ways of life. We make sure we

always reach a suitable compromise. It also enables us to grow as parents and not

get stuck in our ways.


How do you spend quality time with your children?

We practice mindfulness and love spending time in nature. Going to the café for a

treat is one of our favourite things to do. They are also fully involved in the creation

of My Mindful Cards which allows us to spend some creative time together. We also

love having rich open conversations. Our children like to reflect a lot which is one of

the reasons why our Mindful Card Game was born.


What parenting tools work for you and your family?

Coaching plays an incremental part in the way we raise our children. It helps them

open up, talk about their emotions and any concerns they may have. It guides them

with some self-reflection, understanding themselves better and helping us, as

parents, explore their world in their own words. Amazingly, they have also become

natural coaches themselves by asking coaching questions when they meet new

people! It’s amazing how much children pick up as they grow up.


Favorite parenting books or resources? 

I am a huge fan of Kate Silverton who has also written a really great book: “There’s


What do you wish for your children?

Oh gosh, I could expand SO MUCH with this question! I will pick one and will have to

say that I wish they never underestimate their abilities and to just go for it! Because

there are no failures, only learnings.

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