About LA & team
We are a family business built around one shared goal: helping families, caregivers, and educators feel more supported, understood, and empowered.
I'm LA. For over 25 years, I have taught adults and supported children, families, and educators. I started babysitting at 12 years old, and over the years I’ve worked as a preschool teacher, holistic home facilitator, educational assistant, behaviour interventionist, college instructor, and early learning and child care curriculum developer.
My experience includes child development, curriculum design, program development, adult education, online learning, and facilitating practical learning experiences for educators and other adults who support children. Supporting children and families has never just been a job for me; it has always felt natural and deeply meaningful.
I was never considered a strong student growing up, but when I entered Early Childhood Education, something clicked. For the first time, I felt confident in what I was doing, and I excelled in a way that genuinely surprised me. That experience shaped how I see both children and adults: people thrive when they are understood, supported, and given the right environment to grow.
Becoming a parent myself deepened that understanding even further. Raising my own children through real-life challenges showed me how overwhelming parenting, caregiving, and educating can feel, even when you care deeply and are trying your best. I was fortunate to have friends who were knowledgeable professionals and educators along the way, and that support changed my life.
That is what inspired Big People Lemon-Aid Co-Lab. I wanted to create the kind of support that makes hard moments feel more manageable: practical, warm, relatable, and free from judgment. This is a place where parents, caregivers, and educators can find useful strategies, honest guidance, and reassurance without being expected to have everything figured out.
This business is truly a family effort. I lead the course content, program creation, and family support side of the work, drawing from both professional and lived experience. My husband, Reg, brings the business and operational leadership that helps turn our vision into something sustainable and accessible for families. Our daughter, Aryka, contributes an additional perspective informed by her education and professional experience. Her involvement helps strengthen our understanding of emotional wellbeing, child development, and the experiences of families.
BPLA provides education, coaching, and practical support—not psychotherapy, counselling, diagnosis, or mental-health treatment.
Together, we want to create practical, compassionate, judgement-free support for parents, caregivers, and educators navigating real-life challenges with real children.
We believe most adults genuinely want the best for children. We also believe children are doing the best they can with the skills, support, and understanding they have in that moment. Life can be hard for everyone sometimes, and no one should have to navigate those challenges feeling ashamed, isolated, or alone.
Our approach is honest, relatable, supportive, and rooted in the belief that connection matters more than perfection.
