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Tekla Johnson LLC
Caring for young children is one of the hardest and most important jobs in the world. If it feels like the usual strategies don’t work with your child, you’re not alone.
Maybe you’re a parent lying awake at 2 AM, wondering if you’ll ever feel confident again. Or maybe you’re an early childhood professional who knows all the “right” answers but still feels stuck when challenging moments arise.
At Tekla Johnson LLC, I offer coaching, skill-building, and support for parents and early childhood professionals who feel stuck or unsure. I help adults discover practical, effective tools to approach any challenge with children under five — tools that work in real life, not just in theory.
I believe all flourishing is mutual. When it comes to children, how we are is just as important as what we do.
That’s why great strategies always start with the adult. If your toddler is melting down at the store, the first step is checking your own nervous system — are you calm and grounded? Only then can you help your child co-regulate.
These approaches create more joy, ease, and harmony because they strengthen authentic relationships — not just behavior management.
I also believe sleep and rest are not luxuries; they’re necessities. Everyone can sleep well — including your child (and you). When we balance rest with life’s demands, we give our families a gift that lasts a lifetime.
And most importantly: there is no perfect parent or perfect professional. There are only humans doing their best with the tools they have.
My journey started when I was that parent stumbling through the house at 3 AM, tears mixing with my baby’s, wondering if something was wrong with me.
For the first 16 months of my son’s life, he didn’t sleep for more than two consecutive hours. I was beyond exhausted. Even with ten years of professional experience in child development, I couldn’t apply what I “knew” through the fog of sleep deprivation. Those Pinterest-perfect strategies? They felt like mockery. One night, at my breaking point, I looked my son in the eye and said: “I love you, and I can’t do this anymore. Tonight we’re going to figure this out together. I’ll be right here, but you will learn to put yourself to sleep. I am leading this change.”Within three nights, he was sleeping through the night. More importantly, I had discovered something profound: that trusting myself and leading with love — instead of desperation — changes everything.
In 2003, I trained with Dr. Angelique Millette in her relational, developmentally informed approach to sleep. By 2004, I launched Tekla Johnson LLC to help families avoid the months of sleeplessness and self-doubt I had endured. What began as sleep support has now expanded into a full array of coaching, skill-building, and early childhood services.
Over the years, I’ve worked across many roles in early childhood: director of a home visiting program, early childhood mental health consultant, reflective practice facilitator, vice president for learning and innovation, special education developmental specialist, doula, and disability advocate.
What matters more than the titles is what I’ve learned along the way: how to help adults feel confident and equipped in even the hardest moments.
I draw on a wide range of trainings and frameworks, including Circle of Security, Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN), Conscious Discipline, and research from leaders like Dr. Ed Tronick, Dr. Dan Siegel, Mary Ainsworth, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Dr. Bruce Perry.
But here’s what sets me apart: every strategy I teach is something I’m actively practicing in my own family. Rest, sleep, mindfulness, and self-reflection aren’t just professional tools for me; they’re survival skills. I maintain a daily meditation practice and continue learning new mindfulness strategies to stay grounded and present — especially when life gets messy (as it often does).
When you work with me, you’re not just getting strategies. You’re getting:
Permission to trust yourself.
Tools that actually work in the real-life chaos of raising or teaching young children.
Support from someone who has been exactly where you are.
You’ll feel more confident in your choices, more connected to your child, and more steady within yourself — even on the hard days. Because the goal isn’t perfection. The goal is connection, growth, and the deep satisfaction of knowing you can handle whatever comes your way.
You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re ready for better tools — and I’d love to help you find them.
This is my story. I’d love to hear yours.
If you’re ready, share your story and be in touch. Or, if you’d like a gentler start, spend some time reflecting and exploring ideas relevant to young children in my Book + Journaling Club — a space to learn, connect, and grow at your own pace.