Under the Moonlight Blog - Comforting stories and Parenting Tips

Welcome to my Under the Moonlight Blog 

🌖📝🌛

A cosy corner of calm for parents, little ones, and anyone seeking a gentler moment in their day.

 

Here, I share soothing stories, comforting bedtime ideas, and soft, child-centred tips to help little ones feel safe, connected, and settled. You’ll find reflections on childhood, emotional wellbeing support, gentle parenting guidance, and simple calm hacks that make evenings smoother and bedtime more peaceful.

 

If you’re looking for calming bedtime routines, ways to ease separation anxiety, emotional regulation ideas for toddlers and preschoolers, or nurturing ways to bring more kindness and connection into your home, you’re in exactly the right place.

 

This space is shaped around warmth, reassurance, and the quiet magic of slowing down with your child — all inspired by my Calming Stories for Little People.

 

Take your time. Settle in. Breathe for a moment.

 

I’m Penelope Willis: children’s author, and lover of soft, soothing storytelling, and I’m so glad you’re here.

 

When a Child Holds It Together All Day, Then Falls Apart at Home.

13 Jan 2026 22:20

Some children hold themselves together beautifully all day. They cope, they behave, they do everything that’s asked of them,  and then they come home and fall apart. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is something many parents quietly worry about, often wondering if they’re doing something wrong. In reality, this pattern is far more common than we realise, and it tells us something important about how safe a child feels.

Read more »
“A calming children’s bedtime image showing a young child wrapped in a blanket, looking up at a crescent moon and starry sky, with a warm lamp glowing beside them. Banner text reads ‘Under the Moonlight Blog by Penelope Willis – Kindness in the Early Dark
A parent and child stand together by a window on Christmas night, looking up at a full glowing moon. A candle flickers on the windowsill and a Christmas tree glows softly beside them, creating a warm, emotional scene of missing someone who is far away.

Pockets Full of Wonder: Finding Magic in the Little Things

13 Oct 2025 23:13

There’s something special about stepping outside in autumn. The air feels cooler, the colours deeper, and the world seems to settle into a slower rhythm. It’s the kind of season that invites us to pause — to pull on a coat, take a slower walk, and notice what’s quietly changing all around us.

Read more »