The Lauren Edmunds Podcast

Whenever a teacher leaves, a routine changes, or a child has to move to a new school, parents often say the same thing: "My child just doesn't cope well with change." But as Lauren Edmunds explains, the reality is that none of us naturally copes well with change. Our brains are wired to prefer what's familiar, simple and predictable. In this episode, Lauren shares a powerful idea from her corporat...

Finding out your child has cheated on a test hits hard. It is completely natural to feel disappointed, shocked, or even a bit defensive, and the automatic reaction is often to shout, punish, or try to fix it immediately. But as Lauren Edmunds explains, catching a child cheating is actually a critical moment to step back and ask a different question: what pressure or fear made them feel that cheati...

When a child is struggling at school, it is easy to assume they need immediate, high-level intervention, whether that’s speech therapy, remedial support, or seeing an educational psychologist. But as Lauren Edmunds explains, those specialised therapies can't do their job if a child's basic foundation isn't there. In this episode, Lauren talks about the four non-negotiables we have to get right fir...

If we want a child to reach the top of a mountain, we cannot simply stand at the peak and expect them to find their own way up. We have to go down to the bottom, meet them exactly where they are, and help them unpack the invisible weight they are carrying, whether that is anxiety, sensory overwhelm, or a lack of self-belief. In this episode, Lauren Edmunds challenges the traditional ideas of what...

When a child arrives at school stressed, overtired, or buzzing from screen time, they aren't in a position to take in a maths or reading lesson. Before any teaching can actually happen, the teacher first has to invest valuable time into helping them settle, focus, and find a state of calm alert. In this episode, school founder Lauren Edmunds breaks down the mechanics of "dysregulation" and why cla...

Many parents assume children automatically know how to study, but effective revision and exam-taking are skills that must be actively taught. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the mechanics of learning, explaining how memorisation automates basic understanding to free up the brain for higher-level critical thinking. Lauren challenges the common 'learn, forget, relearn' cycle that leaves students...

Moving a child who is struggling into a smaller class feels like the ultimate fix, but it's actually just the starting line. In this episode, Lauren Edmunds breaks down why a smaller environment isn't a magic cure-all. While fewer kids in a room gives your child better access to the teacher, it really just grants the space and time needed to uncover the actual barriers to learning. Lauren shares h...

Real, lasting change doesn’t come from rewards, punishments, or making someone feel small. In this episode, Lauren Edmunds shares a gentle and highly practical approach to helping children, friends, and even ourselves break out of automatic habits. True transformation can only happen when we move away from unconscious reactions and step into deliberate thinking. Lauren breaks down her step-by-step...

Your attitude to life and learning becomes your child's truth. Lauren Edmunds discusses how parental perspectives on subjects like maths or daily habits like brushing teeth directly impact a child’s ability to overcome challenges. Drawing on insights from experts like Professor Jo Boaler and Gordon Neufeld, she explains how to move from a "burden" mindset to one of curiosity and encouragement. Lea...

Lauren Edmunds challenges the modern tendency to overcomplicate parenting with endless books, social media advice, and podcasts. Using the analogy of consuming "twenty chocolate cakes," she warns against the overwhelm of seeking answers in external sources while neglecting the basics. This episode is a refreshing call to return to the essentials: connecting through eye contact, modelling good mann...

In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores why accountability is a value taught at home rather than at school. She discusses how a parent's reaction to homework and daily chores can either "rob" a child of the opportunity to develop character or help them grow into self-led adults. Lauren explains that by fostering responsibility early on, even through simple tasks like clearing a dinner plate, pare...

In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores the powerful link between choice and consequence in parenting. She reflects on how lasting change in children often begins with a shift in our own behaviour, encouraging parents to model positive habits, embrace change, and focus on small, consistent actions that make a meaningful difference over time. Omatas Learning Centre

If your child covers their ears at loud noises, melts down in busy environments, or seems overwhelmed by sounds that others barely notice — this episode is for you. "Rather than making life easier, we make the child stronger." — Lauren Edmunds Lauren Edmunds, founder of Omatas Learning Centre, shares her hands-on approach to helping children with auditory and sensory sensitivities build real, last...

Lauren Edmunds draws on the story of Michelangelo's David to reframe what it really means to support children with learning difficulties and neurodiversity. Rather than trying to mould children into something they are not, she argues that the real work is in removing the barriers that are getting in the way: the anxiety, the overstimulation, the emotional dysregulation that stops their true selves...

Lauren Edmunds, founder of a school specialising in learning delays, delivers a candid warning about the real cost of unchecked screen time. Drawing from her classroom experience, she makes the case that screen addiction is reshaping how children think, learn, and engage with the world and that the first step towards change starts at home. Omatas Learning Centre

In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explains how reclaiming two simple evening habits can reverse the decline in a child's academic and social abilities. By dedicating just 15 minutes to a family dinner and 20 minutes to reading aloud, parents create a "safe space" that fosters the vocabulary, empathy and critical thinking skills children need to thrive. Lauren outlines why these two anchors are the m...

Lauren Edmunds, founder of a school for children with learning delays, challenges the “siloed” approach to special education. Using a personal story about her daughter’s misdiagnosed autoimmune disease, she explains why specialists must look beyond their narrow scope to see the whole child. This episode is a call for therapists, teachers, and parents to drop the ego, share “aha moments,” and prior...

In this insightful discussion, Lauren Edmunds, the founder of a school for children with learning delays, explores the critical role of patience and observation in supporting neurodiverse children. She challenges adults to set aside their own rigid, "goal-driven" agendas to truly meet children where they are. This is especially vital for those who are non-speaking or navigating ADHD, autism, and a...

Lauren Edmunds, the founder of a school for children with learning delays, discusses the importance of shifting away from adult-driven goals to better support neurodivergent children. She explains that adults are often so focused on their own schedules, such as getting to the shops or starting a maths lesson, that they lose sight of the child's perspective. For children on the autism spectrum or t...

In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explains that sending a child to a single weekly therapy session is like doing ten sit-ups on a Friday and expecting a six-pack. She suggests that for therapy to actually "pay off," parents need to view the therapist like a personal trainer; the real results come from doing the exercises at home between sessions. While some tasks like colouring or household chores m...

Lauren Edmunds, founder of a school for children with learning delays, explains that mistakes are exactly where learning occurs. She warns that common phrases like "you can do better" can accidentally shame children, leading them to avoid challenges and stick to easy tasks just to get praise. To foster a "learning brain," Lauren suggests praising the action and the effort rather than the result. T...

Lauren Edmunds, founder of a specialist school for children with learning delays, explores how to transform discipline into a lasting learning experience. Shifting the focus from shame to responsibility, Lauren explains why the "repair" of a mistake is more important than the mistake itself. By establishing a foundation of mutual respect and allowing children to face the natural consequences of th...

Lauren Edmunds, a school founder specialising in learning delays, discusses how the "morning rush" can derail a child's entire school day. She explains that when children arrive dysregulated due to stress, screens, or a lack of connection, their brains are not "online" for learning, forcing teachers to spend hours calming them rather than teaching. Lauren argues that by replacing "clipped language...

Lauren Edmunds, who runs a school for children with learning delays, looks at how the way we moan or complain about schoolwork actually becomes the voice in our children's heads. She argues that if we treat homework as a chore or a waste of time, our kids will too, which eventually makes the work even harder for them. This episode is about shifting that mindset by role-modelling effort and using l...

Lauren Edmunds uses a powerful metaphor to explore what real remediation should look like when children are struggling. Rather than repeatedly pulling children out of difficulty, she explains why the focus must be on building the skills, resilience and self-belief that allow them to climb out themselves — and stay out. This episode is a thoughtful reflection on over-helping, learned helplessness,...