A first-generation Black mom sits on a light gray sofa reading the “Stop. Start. Continue.” reflection on a tablet, promoting a free gentle reset for moms who are gentle with their kids but hard on themselves, by Anxious African Mom.

A Gentle Reset for First-Gen Moms (Free Reflection)

I’m officially an author!

Stop, Start, Continue: A Gentle-ish Parenting Guide for First-Generation Moms is available NOW on Amazon—and before I say anything else, I want to pause and acknowledge what this moment actually represents.

This book isn’t the result of having it all figured out.
It’s the result of paying attention.


This Guide Was Written in Real Time

I’m not a therapist.
I’m not a parenting expert.

I’m a first-generation Sierra Leonean-American mom on my own mental health journey—trying to be better for my kids, unlearn what no longer serves us, and raise emotionally stable, beautiful, cool African children in a world that doesn’t always make space for softness.

This guide was written in the middle of that work.
In between school drop-offs, long days, emotional recalibration, and quiet moments of reflection.

It’s honest.
It’s imperfect.
And it’s deeply intentional.


Gentle With Our Kids. Harsh With Ourselves.

Many of us are practicing gentle—or gentle-ish—parenting with our children.

We pause before reacting.
We name emotions.
We regulate instead of explode.

And then we turn around and speak to ourselves in ways we would never speak to them.

We call ourselves lazy for needing rest.
Weak for needing help.
Behind for still healing.

This guide exists because I realized something had to shift.

If we can be gentle with our kids,
we can learn to be gentler with ourselves too.


What Stop–Start–Continue Actually Means

The framework behind this guide comes from my background in tech, where I use agile retrospectives to help teams reflect, reset, and move forward with clarity.

I realized I needed the same thing in my own life.

Stop — what’s draining me that I no longer need to carry?
Start — what would support me now, not in some ideal future?
Continue — what’s already working, even if everything isn’t?

This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about making space to breathe.


Start Small (Seriously)

If you’re not sure whether the full guide is for you, that’s okay.

I created a free reflection
Stop. Start. Continue. — A Gentle Reset for When You’re Tired but Still Trying—so you can experience this approach without pressure.

Download the freebie.
Sit with one question.
See how it feels.

If it resonates, the full guide is there for you.
If it doesn’t, you still walk away supported—and that matters to me.


Who This Guide Is For

This guide is for first-generation moms who are:

  • Parenting gently while still unlearning inherited expectations
  • Carrying cultural, emotional, and mental loads quietly
  • Healing in real time while raising children
  • Tired of being strong at the expense of themselves

It’s not a rulebook.
It’s a companion.

One that meets you exactly where you are.


A Final Word

I didn’t write this guide because I’m finished healing.
I wrote it because I’m committed to doing better—without being cruel to myself in the process.

If you’ve been looking for language that honors both culture and care,
structure and softness,
strength and rest—

I hope this guide finds you.

Stop, Start, Continue is now available on Amazon
🧘🏾‍♀️ The free Gentle Reset is available for download

Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading.
And thank you for choosing reflection over perfection.

✨ Let’s Stay Connected ✨

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