Shaheen Merali calls herself an international citizen, and for good reason! Born in Dubai to East-African parents with Indian origin, she moved to the US in her teens and then to the UK in her twenties. She has a degree in Psychology and more recently, a diploma in Montessori teaching. Much of her life has been spent working with children, either in a professional capacity or volunteer work in the community.
Since the birth of her son in 2005 and her daughter in 2007, Shaheen found herself drawn to peaceful methods of parenting from early on, but it was a sudden onset of separation anxiety with her daughter that led her to Hand in Hand. The tools offered by Hand in Hand were instrumental in helping turn things around and keen to spread the word, she became a Certified Instructor in 2014. You can read about Shaheen's use of Parenting by Connection in her family on our blog.
The beauty of Parenting by Connection is that it encompasses everything right Shaheen has read and learnt about in the past, such as playfulness, unconditional love, encouraging the independence of a child, and respecting their voice and will. The tools are simply and yet profound, and can suit all ages, even adults!
The journey is not over by far; new and different challenges come and the learning continues every day, but with the strength and support of the Hand in Hand community, these are now welcomed and embraced. Join her on this journey of raising our children to be the best that they can be.
Shaheen currently lives in the UK (Hertfordshire area) and offers in-person courses, as well as day seminars. She has also travelled to the USA and Canada to deliver workshops, and is due to venture into East Africa too!
You can contact Shaheen via her e-mail address: [email protected] and also via her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/parentingbyconnectionwithshaheenmerali