Hi! I’m Miss Mabel… and here’s how it all began!

For anyone who has an idea on how they can make a difference to others but doesn’t feel brave enough to start.

This post is for you.

Jan 1st 2024. I made a promise to myself… totally in secret!

Here I was on a beach in Cornwall, having just posted my very first ever Instagram video onto my brand new Reading Roots account…and didn’t tell a single person. Not even my husband! I felt a sense of shame and a little bit of embarrassment… but I knew this was something parents were going to find helpful. So, I just kept it a secret.

Two years before that day, I’d spent countless conversations moaning to my husband about how little support there was for parents who wanted to help their children learn to read. One afternoon, on our annual anniversary hike, he turned to me with a grin and said the words that would change everything:

“So why don’t you do something about it?”

I’m not sure he realised quite what he’d started!

From a Thought to a Full-Blown Obsession

That gentle suggestion became a full-blown obsession. During my third maternity leave, I began filling notebook after notebook with ideas how I could help parents understand phonics, the online courses I wanted to build, and the simple videos I hoped to share one day.

But I still lacked the confidence to start.

Teaching was familiar. I'd been in the classroom since 2010but sharing my heart with the world? That felt different.

Where My Love of Reading Began

I started my teaching career in South London, teaching English to teenagers who were often just a few years younger than me. It was eye-opening to see how many arrived at secondary school without strong reading foundations. I knew they were capable, bright, and full of potential they just hadn’t been given the right start.

After three years, I moved into primary education, and that’s where I found my true calling: helping children discover the joy of reading. I loved watching their confidence bloom as letters turned into words, and words turned into stories.

But I also saw another side many parents felt lost when it came to phonics. They wanted to help but didn’t know where to begin. That gap stayed in my heart.

A New Chapter and a World in Lockdown

After six years in the classroom, I joined a UK charity training teachers nationwide. It was a dream role meaningful work, incredible schools, and a wonderful team. I felt fulfilled… until the world stopped.

When lockdown hit, I suddenly found myself at home with my two little ones, aged three and one. My eldest was about to start school, and I wanted her to have a confident start with reading.

We began small with no worksheets, no drills, just playful games and sounds woven into everyday life. Within weeks, she was blending sounds, reading simple words, and most importantly, enjoying it. By age four, she was reading with confidence.

But while I celebrated our progress, I knew many parents were struggling. The messages I saw online were full of frustration and worry. That’s when I felt a deep responsibility to share what I knew.

The Four-Year Wait and Finally, Courage

It took me four whole years to build up the courage to share my first post.

When I finally did, I kept second guessing myself. I felt a sense of shame but I had made myself a promise not to give up (and I’m an extremely stubborn person!)

And, it wasn’t long before parents began to respond.

Messages poured in: “This makes so much sense!” … “I finally understand how to help my child.” … “Thank you for making phonics feel simple.”

What started as a tiny corner of the internet quickly grew into a joyful, supportive community full of proud parents and teachers who care deeply about helping children succeed.

The Phonics App

Halfway through 2024, I was approached by a dad who had built an app to help his daughter learn to read. He wondered if I’d collaborate to improve it and share it with the world.

At first, I hesitated. I was a teacher, not a tech expert. But the more I explored it, the more I realised how brilliant this app was. It was a simple, effective way for families to make phonics practice engaging and screen time purposeful.

We worked day and night (often after bedtime, surrounded by blankets and cushions for soundproofing!) and six months later, The Phonics App launched.

Today, it’s been downloaded over 200,000 times and continues to grow every day. It’s helped thousands of families make reading fun and we’re only just getting started.

The Power of Consistency

Now, at 500 posts and counting, I look back and smile.

That one small act posting when nobody was watching became the start of something much bigger than I ever imagined.

Consistency has been my greatest teacher. It’s the same lesson I give parents about phonics: you don’t need perfection, just patience and small, steady steps. Every moment spent learning every sound practised, every bedtime story read builds confidence little by little.

About reading… and chikens!

I wanted to help parents teach their children to read, and I wanted a life where I could grow vegetables, keep chickens, and spend more time with my family. And I’m so grateful that, through this journey, I’ve found both.

If there’s one message I hope this story leaves you with, it’s this:

Be brave enough to start - and pretend nobody is watching!

Take the Next Step

If you’re ready to start your child’s reading journey with confidence:

📲 Download The Phonics App — free for the first set of A–Z sounds!

💌 Explore more tips and free resources on the Reading Roots website.

💛 And remember - progress begins with showing up, one sound, one story, one small step at a time.