Allie Witek, Hamilton, ON (2026)

11/03/2022

Can you relate? This is what I’ve been hearing from parents, a lot!  So, what could they be missing?

2 things:
- A plan
- A support system while implementing the plan

Parents often feel like they’re expected to get all the information themselves, figure it out on their own and then somehow also feel confident in their parenting choices.

It’s so much pressure and so much work! Raising a child was not meant to happen in isolation and parents shouldn’t be expected to go through this evolving process alone.

So what’s holding you back from seeking support?  Often it can be (one or more of the following):
- Fear of judgement
- Thinking that seeking support means there’s something “wrong” with you/your child/family
- Convincing yourself that you’re not struggling “enough” to warrant seeking support
- Questioning whether it’s worth the investment or how you could afford it
- Fear that the suggestions won’t align with your family’s values

Or maybe it’s something else unique to you.

👉🏼 Whatever it may be, I’m always willing to discuss how my services work, answer questions, listen to your concerns or fears, and talk about what support might look like for your child/family in particular!

💕 My support is always attachment-focused, evidence based, and trauma informed. I don’t do quick fixes or one-size-fits-all plans, instead I work collaboratively with you using a holistic and strengths based approach. I work with families both proactively and in response to concerns or differences.

💵All of my hourly rates are sliding scale and all of my package rates have the option of a payment plan. Investment info is on my website for full transparency.

📞 My initial consults are FREE and 30 minutes long! Book through the link in my bio or through the contact page on my website.  •
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10/19/2022

We’ve all heard about the “terrible twos” and “threenagers”, some people even say that most toddlers fit the diagnostic criteria for psychopathy 🤣

Toddlers can be…a LOT. And yet they’re also incredible - so much exploration, curiosity, growth and learning in every little moment!

❓So why do we have all these societal misconceptions? Why do we prepare parents to fear this amazing stage?

According to Deborah Macnamara, PhD, “baffling and beloved, with the capacity to go from joy to frustration in seconds, young children are some of the most misunderstood people on the planet…The key to understanding youngsters lies in realizing that their challenging behaviour is not personal, nor is it a disorder or deficit.”

Maybe you’ve noticed your little one having LOTs of demands, needing to control and dictate, major illogical outbursts if they don’t get their way? Sound familiar? Promise you’re not alone!

The pandemic increased uncertainty in so many ways in all of our lives and for our little ones, seeing that parents and society don’t seem to have a grasp on things can be SCARY. They think “woah my parents don’t seem to know what’s going to happen next” and so they take over that control and order (becoming the “alpha”). As we’re starting to phase out of intense pandemic life, it can be hard to re-establish that control, consistency, and safety for our kiddos. Rest, Play, Grow discusses the dance of attachment and ‘Who’s in Charge?’

While the book is written with preschoolers in mind, the foundational knowledge is applicable for all parents! Swipe to read more about the book & all of the areas it covers!

Rest, Play, Grow has been translated into Estonian, Danish, French, German, Korean, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, and Russian - making it even more accessible to parents and caregivers worldwide!

✨For this and other books, visit the Resource page of my website. Want help applying resources to your family? Book a free consult! Links in bio✨
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10/18/2022

Did you know your baby/child should have regular visits to the doctor at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months, 2 years, and then once every year until 5 years of age? 😳

Maybe you missed visits due to Covid or pandemic shortages…maybe your doctor doesn’t have much time when you do see them or they have a “one concern per visit” rule…maybe you’re not entirely honest with your doctor due to fear of being judged…

Whatever the scenario, the Well-Family visit was designed to ensure that parents and children 0-5 are getting the assessment, education, and support they need for a thriving family 💓
 In this 90 minute session, we cover: - developmental screening - perinatal/parental mental health screening - time to discuss questions and day-to-day challenges - resources and activities - discount on further services

As always, this support is attachment focused, using evidence-based tools, and trauma-informed, with zero judgement.

In an effort to make this offering as accessible as possible, the investment is sliding scale $150 /$165 /$180 or $200 for 2+ children. Further discount is available for BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ families.

Please book using the link in bio or book a free consult to learn more!

Please note: I am not a medical doctor or specialist of any kind and this service is not intended to replace visits with your family doctor/medical team. This service is supplementary for families looking for additional education, insight and support.
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09/20/2022

Did you know I offer services for expecting and new parents, including planning & support for the 4th trimester and beyond? 🤰🏽🤱🏼🧑🏻‍🍼👶🏽💕

I’ve recently updated my new parent support options including sliding-scale hourly rates and set-hour packages (payment plans available)!

New Parent Support & Perinatal Mental Health include:

👉🏼 Foundations (personalized prenatal education, support, & planning)

👉🏼 New Parent Support: 4th Trimester & beyond (similar to a postpartum doula, in-person support and education throughout postpartum into new parenthood)

👉🏼 Perinatal Mental Health Support Package (assess & support perinatal/parental mental health and wellbeing, prenatally up to 3 years postpartum)

🌟🆕 now accepting new clients!

Head to the link in my bio or visit www.alliewitek.com/services/new-parent

Have questions? Drop them below! 💬
💓 SHARE this post with an expectant or new parent you know!

ID: A black and white selfie of Allie holding a newborn baby in a grey ring sling, with a blanket on top. Allie is smiling. The baby’s eyes are open, they have a large round soother in their mouth and their little hand is sticking out of the sling.
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09/15/2022

I often get asked about my education and training and I think it’s important to share and be transparent about how we got to where we are!  
As I worked through my undergraduate degree and continued to support families, I realized a gap existed. Families needed support and research-based knowledge during the first 3-5 years concerning their child’s development and mental wellbeing. I didn’t even know if this field existed but I knew it needed to. I started researching and came across Infant and Early Child Mental Health & the program at Seneca 🧠  In May 2020, I graduated with honours from the IMH program, ➡️SWIPE➡️ to see the knowledge & skills the program provided me.

The IMH program at Seneca is the only of its kind in the country, and the field itself is still rather new. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to complete this graduate certificate and I wish there were more programs dedicated to the field. I wish this program had more consciously integrated the program into existing regulatory frameworks and thought through pathways for graduates.

Due to the pandemic, my graduate placement was cut short and I entered my career with the entire field essentially in panic/shutdown mode. Now as we slowly start to come out of the pandemic, this knowledge and support is more important than ever.

While I hope to continue my education and pursue a graduate degree, I am grateful for the path I chose and the foundational knowledge and skill it provided for me to go forward with my own business and support families throughout the pandemic and beyond!

👉🏼 Want to learn more about me? Visit the About Me page of my website for more about who I am & how I got here. 💬 Or DM me and let’s connect! 💕
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09/10/2022

As someone in the field of infancy/early childhood/parenthood/family, I learn something new every single day. The more I learn, the more I realize that it’s essentially impossible for parents and caregivers to know it all! Especially when your child is developing at such a fast rate and there are so many conflicting sources of information.

👉🏼 Enter my latest series: Sh*t No One Teaches Parents 💩

A selection of topics that I’ve found most parents don’t know about or wish they did, weaved with simple and do-able tips and tricks.

Some of the topics to be covered will include, car seat safety out of the car, common mistakes when introducing solids, what to do when ‘labeling emotions’ backfires, safe and comfortable baby wearing, what to do when your child starts refusing diaper changes, how to support your child learning new skill, and more!

Do you have a topic or scenario (even if it seems small or random) you want me to cover? 💬 Drop it below or DM me!

Want to experience this kind of support in a more personalized, in-person setting? My 5-week parenting program, ‘Figuring It Out Together’ starts THIS MONDAY (10-11am) at

There’s still time to sign up and subsidized spots are available. Click the link in my bio for more info & to register - or reach out to me and let’s chat! 💕
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09/09/2022

This one is for all the primary/preferred/default parents out there!

I came across this book in the library and fell so in love that I got my own copy. As you flip through familiar scenes, this rhyming book helps littles understand that their mama/parent loves them AND…sometimes they need a minute!

Swipe to see a few of the books that I’ll be bringing for Week 1 of Figuring It Out Together! Topic is: Talking & Reading to Baby.

Learn how talking and reading to your baby does more than just support early literacy and communication! We’ll explore ways to increase opportunities for communication in every day tasks (verbally, visually, and using ASL), how communication supports the developing brain, attachment and bonding, and how to pick the right books for your child’s age and stage.

The program starts this Monday 10-11am, and runs for 5 weeks (different weekly topics) hosted at

Week 2 - play & learning (with & without toys) Week 3 - physical play & development Week 4 - attachment & social emotional development Week 5 - finding your parenting style

🌟Come as you are.  🌟Bring who you’d like.  🌟Know you’re entering a space focused on being non-judgemental, inclusive, and accessible.

👉🏼 Build your village while building your parenting confidence! Let’s make Mondays something you look forward to 😍

Sliding scale spots are available. Learn more & register through the link in my bio 🔗
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09/02/2022

Connection over correction: what gets in the way of connected play & relationships

Here’s a scenario: you and your child are playing with a doll house; you give them a piece of furniture and they put it in the house and you’ve got this good back and forth flow. You then hand your child the bathtub and they put it in the room that is intended to be the kitchen. You chuckle and say, “oops! That’s not where a bathtub goes. I know you know where it goes… try again!” And help them put it in the bathroom.

While this scenario has nothing overtly wrong with it, what was the “issue” in letting your child put the bathtub in that room? Maybe it wasn’t the correct spot to you or most people, AND is putting the bathtub in that room actually a problem? Probably not. But more times than not, your child may get upset, ‘act out’ in some way, or move onto playing something else or playing alone…and that moment of connection is broken.

Instead, let’s think about this playing out a different way… Say your child puts the bathtub in the kitchen and you say “you put the bathtub in that corner room” Or “that’s a great spot for the bathtub! What piece next?” Or the best? Say nothing at all and let the play unfold. Be an observer.

When we correct our children in moments where it’s not entirely necessary, especially during play, it often breaks our connection (even if we don’t intend it to). Every correction throughout the day adds up, and when they start to outweigh those moments of connection, that’s when we start to see more dysregulation.

So next time you see your child doing something that might not be logical or ‘correct’, see if you can pause. Ask yourself, “is this actually a problem or in need of correcting?” Can you pause for 30 seconds and see how it unfolds? Can you get curious? Try phrases like “I wonder if…” “I noticed that…” “I’m curious about...” Or simply say nothing at all.

👉🏼 Have you tried this or something similar? Did you notice anything? I'd love to hear, share below! 💬
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08/31/2022

I can’t let August come to an end without recognizing the fact that this marks 2️⃣ YEARS of having my own business…and what a 2 years it’s been! 😳🥳

I’ve always had a passion for caretaking, working with little ones, and supporting families. Establishing this little biz came out of the “what now?” that the pandemic brought on when it cut my graduate certificate and placement short, and meant there were no new jobs hiring. I told myself for almost a year that this wasn’t really a business, that I didn’t really plan on making this happen…and that’s true, I didn’t. But here we are 2 years later… and the plans keep on changing!

When I do manage to take the time to really reflect or when a kind person sends me that little dm that says “what you’re doing is important” - I’m proud. I’m proud of what I’ve built. The countless hours, tears, mistakes, dollars… it does all add up.

Owning my own business…as I’m just starting my career… in a very new field…during a pandemic…while simultaneously managing chronic physical and mental illness, and an ADHD diagnosis has been….a lot of learning. And I’m so grateful for it.

It’s hard and messy and wonderful and I just want to keep going… but not without recognizing how far I’ve come.

So…if you’ve made it this far - thank you. Thank you for every like and share, for every time you told someone about me, for every message of encouragement, for every individual who reached out. 💗

👉🏼 What I ask in celebration is if you could share below a memory you have of us interacting, working together, something I maybe taught you in passing, something valuable you’ve gained from following me… you can also DM me or write a few sentences as a testimonial if you’re a previous client. Or tag someone who doesn’t know about my services! 🥳

💕 It would truly mean the world and be something I can hold onto on those hard days (weeks/months…)

To 2 years of…support; of filling the gap; of empowering families; of learning how capable I am…. And to many more!

08/30/2022

🆕🗓 NEW START DATE!

We realized that next Monday is a holiday so we’ve decided to push the start of the program by a week - starting September 12. Plus this lets parents of school-aged kiddos get through that first week chaos or those still returning from vacations.

❓Do you know a parent/caregiver who’s looking for a way to fill some time in their day or meet new people?

❓Do you know a parent/caregiver who’s overwhelmed by all the parenting and development info overload out there?

❓Do you know a parent/caregiver that’s hoping to parent differently than they were parented but don’t know where to start?

❓Do you know a parent who’s been looking for a group that’s not hyper-Mom focused or isn’t just another play group?

👋🏻 Hello, Figuring It Out Together!

We do things a little differently and we’re proud of it! We’ve seen the other groups and offerings out there and decided to fill some gaps we think are so important. 👉🏼 SWIPE through to read more

🌟Come as you are.  🌟Bring who you’d like.  🌟Know you’re entering a space focused on being non-judgemental, inclusive, and accessible.

Let’s make Mondays something you look forward to! 😍

🔗 Link to register & learn more in the bio!
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08/24/2022

The fall transition is such a shift - phasing out of summer and into figuring out lunches and after-school activities and homework and pick up schedules and all the extra things…

⏰ It’s hard to find the time to stop and actually take a minute for yourself or with your child. These affirmation slides are to help with just that!
 💬 Which is your favourite or share one of your own below! 👇🏼

👀 Looking for more support through this period of change? Check out my Fall Transitions Package! This package includes:

🌟Comprehensive intake and consult call
🌟Setting up for success tips
🌟Custom plan for your child and family
🌟Personalized social story & “my special people” (pics of loved ones)
🌟About Me package for your child’s teacher
🌟Parenting affirmations

➕ Plus amazing add-ons like custom visual schedules, letters for teacher (homework and mealtimes), and follow up check-ins!

This package is ideal for:
👉🏼 anyone with a young child beginning or returning to daycare or school 👉🏼 parents who may be having their own worries and fears around the transition 👉🏼 children who:
▪️Display school refusal
▪️Struggle with separation
▪️Have high sensitivity or sensory needs
▪️Have specific behaviours and/or ways of regulating
▪️Have had previous challenges in daycare or school
▪️Are going through many changes at once

Goodbye fall transition stress…
Hello confident parents & supported little ones! 💞🧠

Use the link in bio to access the registration & intake form 🔗 •
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08/23/2022

Hosted by Togather Hamilton, Figuring It Out Together is a 5-week caregiving program for families with little ones 4-12 months (children and other caregivers welcome).   New parenthood can be so overwhelming, especially in the digital age. This series is designed to help you feel confident in your parenting abilities and finding your own unique flow, while experiencing the benefits of an inclusive, validating, and nonjudgmental community 💞  With a different topic every week, Allie will guide the group in learning and discussion, providing insight, resources, and facilitating connections.
Allie’s knowledge and expertise spans across different age ranges and variety of topics, allowing this to be a more personalized experience for the group. Every week will include a list of developmental milestones related to the topic as well as a handout with key points and resource suggestions.

Week 1️⃣ talking & reading to baby  Week 2️⃣ play & learning (with & without toys) Week 3️⃣ physical play & development Week 4️⃣ attachment & social emotional development Week 5️⃣ finding your parenting style
👉🏼 SWIPE through for a more detailed breakdown of each topic 
🗓 Join us on Mondays at 10AM from September 5 - October 3 in the Togather play space at 16 Myrtle Ave. (Unit 9) in Hamilton 
Registration is through the website - you can also find the link in my bio!
 🚼 Past this part of your own parenting journey? Share with a new parent you know!  
🤔 Any questions? 💬Comment below or DM me.  •
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Allie Witek

11/03/2022

10/19/2022

10/18/2022

09/20/2022

09/15/2022

09/10/2022

09/09/2022

09/02/2022

08/31/2022

08/30/2022

08/24/2022

08/23/2022

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