a place to restore family wellbeing
Tell us about your work – what do you do, and who is it for?
Honey House is a creative family club on a mission to build a more restorative blueprint for family life in the UK.
A 2024 UNICEF UK study revealed that 61% of UK parents are worried about their mental health; 49% feel overwhelmed, 43% anxious, 36% unsupported, and 26% lonely much or all of the time.
Honey House meet‑ups communities, digital culture platform and 1:1 support are giving parents the support and simplicity they need to create a relaxed, intuitive and content family life.
Our approach is underpinned by our wisdom-led, research-backed Restorative Family Method a 'post gentle-parenting', Eastern and European inspired solution – to help parents radically transform their experience of modern parenting and family life.
What led you to this path? Share a little of the journey that brought you to what you do today.
Ever since I studied politics at Leeds and got my first job working for an MP in Parliament, I knew I wanted to make a difference.
I always wanted to be a Mum, too. I was a lonely, only child whose parents divorced as a teenager. A family of my own was always my dream. The joyful chaos, the drawings on the fridge, the company. I longed for it every day since the age of 4.
But from the day I found out I was pregnant with my daughter (after 12 long months of trying), my journey looked drastically different from what I expected – speckled with the neglect, misinformation, and complete lack of support that too many families in the UK have become familiar with.
What has followed has been a deep dive into how to make parenthood, and family-hood BETTER – for my family, yes, but for every other family nationally, and hopefully one day, globally.
What keeps you inspired? What motivates you to keep showing up and doing this work?
Through our research into ancient, Eastern and European parenting traditions, I know that there are some pretty simple tweaks that parents can make to drastically improve and simplify their life. We're in a real funk in the West when it comes to parenting. Our parenting culture is new and confused. It changes from generation to generation and it's hugely influenced by capitalism and individualism. The pressure on parents to perform, to buy, to entertain their kids, to optimise. It's all incredibly damaging, and actually unnecessary. Instagram doesn't help either. We have a huge opportunity at Honey House to help parents do LESS in order to have better bonds with their kids and better relationships with themselves. It's actually a win-win. Behavioural change is a huge mountain to climb but the prospect of making family's lives easier, happier and more connected makes me so excited. It's such a simple solution.
What impact do you hope your work has on people’s lives? What challenges or gaps are you helping to solve or speak to?
Parental mental health is at an all time low. Children's mental health is similarly struggling. We have to acknowledge that there needs to be a shake up in the way we parent. A return to family-centric values – where kids tag along with parent life – and everyone works together as a team – is how families have been raised for thousands of years. It creates close family ties - and children who feel purpose, belonging and high self-esteem. I see so much guilt in Mothers – and also confusion and often low self-worth in Fathers. I want to help parents feel more confident so they can enjoy the early years of parenting and beyond – so they look back on this time in 20 years and so "I was there", "I was present", "We had fun".
What’s one ritual, practice or product you personally come back to when you need support?
I'm a huge advocate of parents maintaining (or finding new) passions and hobbies. When you become a parent it's important that your identity shapes into a new one that you love and feel connected to – not a stranger living in your body. We must retain the person beyond the parent. For me regular yoga makes me feel like me. Reflexology and reading too. I'd like to make it my mission to ban the guilt associated with parents – especially – Mothers having 'me-time'. It's not a luxury, it's not even just a necessity – it's a responsibility to nourish yourself as a parent. Yes – so you can show up as the parent you want to be – but also because your children are always watching. When they see you respect and love yourself – and they'll do the same too.
Where can people find you, work with you, or learn more?
Our meet-ups are currently live in Worthing and are launching in Hove and Shoreham in September. Our digital platform with resources and courses on our Restorative Parenting Approach – and EASE Method – as well as our 1:1 consultancy work is launching towards the end of 2025. Check it all out on our website (new site launching Sept) (same domain):
www.honeyhouse.space
@honeyhouse.club