Turning motherhood into a mission: The story behind Little Steps Academy

For parents struggling with sleepless nights, irregular feeding schedules and babies who refuse to sleep without being held, finding a routine that works can feel overwhelming. For Scarlet Chua, founder and chief executive officer of Little Steps Academy, the answer begins with understanding that every child and family is different.

Before starting the business, Chua was a full-time mother to three boys. Her own parenting experience taught her how healthy routines could make everyday life more manageable for both children and parents. During the pandemic, friends and other families began approaching her for advice after noticing how easily her children followed their sleep schedules.

But she soon realized that what worked for her family did not necessarily work for others. Different children had different needs, and families could not always apply general advice to their own circumstances.

That realization became clearer when Chua helped her cousin, whose baby struggled to sleep independently and remained latched to the mother for comfort. Despite spending much of the day breastfeeding, the baby was not gaining weight as expected and was also having difficulty sleeping. Chua stayed with the family for three days, observing the baby’s environment and helping the parents establish a routine. She said the baby eventually began sleeping independently and gaining weight.

The experience showed Chua that families needed more than advice shared through word of mouth. They needed guidance tailored to their home, their child, and their daily lives. This became the foundation of Little Steps Academy.

The business offers personalized in-home guidance covering sleep, milk feeding, daily routines, toilet training, and child development. Rather than applying a single method to every household, Chua follows four steps: an initial online assessment, face-to-face observation at home, personalized guidance, and follow-up to monitor progress.

During home visits, she observes the child’s surroundings and asks about the family’s daily schedule, including who cares for the child during the day and at night. This helps her understand how different caregivers’ approaches may affect a child’s routine.

For Chua, consistency is essential. When parents, nannies, grandparents and other caregivers follow different schedules, children may struggle to establish regular sleeping and feeding patterns. She works with the entire household to help everyone follow a routine suited to the child’s needs.

Sleep and milk feeding are among the most common concerns families bring to her. Parents seek help with frequent night waking, daytime naps, bedtime routines, and children who have difficulty sleeping without a parent or caregiver nearby. Chua primarily works with children from a few months old to three years old, while remaining open to discussing the needs of older children.

However, building routines is not always easy. Chua recalled how she and her husband initially had different approaches to raising their eldest child. Without an established routine, they often had to guess whether their baby was hungry, tired, or needed something else. That experience strengthened her belief in anticipating a child’s needs and practicing gentle parenting.

As Little Steps Academy begins building its client base, Chua hopes to help parents feel more confident and give families more opportunities to rest. Her approach is grounded in a simple principle: There is no universal routine for every child. Sometimes, meaningful change starts by understanding one family at a time and taking one little step toward healthier habits.