Child Psych Podcast Episode #167

In this heartfelt episode of The Child Psych Podcast, we’re joined by Her Royal Highness Princess Noor of Jordan—author, mother, and passionate advocate for raising emotionally healthy children through compassion, presence, and storytelling.

Princess Noor takes us behind the scenes of her meaningful children’s books, including Sometimes, Pandy’s Book of Thanks, and Whisper’s Journey, exploring why themes like emotional awareness, kindness, mindfulness, and gratitude are not “extras,” but foundational skills for childhood.

Together, we talk about how stories can help children name and move through big feelings, build emotional intelligence, and strengthen parent-child connection. Princess Noor also shares gentle, practical ways parents and educators can use storytelling as a tool for shared regulation—helping kids feel safe, understood, and supported during emotional moments.

We also explore how motherhood shaped her writing, how her Jordanian heritage influences the messages she shares, and what she hopes children will carry with them long after the book is closed: a deeper sense of self-worth, calm, and compassion.
This episode is a beautiful reminder that sometimes the most powerful emotional tools come in the form of a simple story—read together.

Book 1: Sometimes — Emotional awareness kids can feel

Many feelings books help children name emotions. Sometimes goes a step further by helping children notice where emotions live in the body, like happiness in the cheeks or sadness in the chest. This embodied approach makes emotions less scary and more manageable. It also supports emotional vocabulary, which is one of the strongest building blocks for self-regulation and empathy.

Best for: ages 0–7, families and classrooms working on feelings, behavior, and emotional language.

Book 2: Whisper’s Journey — Breathwork that actually works (because it’s practiced before the meltdown)

One of the most helpful takeaways from the episode was this: regulation tools often fall flat when they’re introduced only during a crisis. Telling a dysregulated child to “take a deep breath” can feel frustrating if breathwork hasn’t been practiced during calm moments. Whisper’s Journey makes breathing playful and familiar, so it becomes part of a child’s natural toolkit over time, not a demand in the heat of the moment.

Best for: transitions, bedtime, worry, big feelings, classrooms, and daily calm-down routines.

Book 3: Pandy’s Book of Thanks — Gratitude without forced positivity

Princess Noor described gratitude as more than listing what you’re thankful for. It’s a practice of awareness, learning to hold both sides of a day: the disappointment and the joy, the frustration and the pride. Pandy’s Book of Thanks helps children connect gratitude to moments and feelings, which supports resilience and a more balanced inner narrative.

Best for: kids who get stuck in “worst day ever,” building resilience, and strengthening family connection.

A simple, powerful set for home and school

Together, Sometimes, Whisper’s Journey, and Pandy’s Book of Thanks create a gentle foundation for:

• emotional awareness
• self-regulation and mindfulness
• gratitude and resilience

They’re designed to be interactive and relational, helping caregivers and educators build skills through connection, not pressure.

One moment at a time

Princess Noor’s work is a reminder that children don’t just learn from what we say. They learn from what we model, how we repair, and how we return to connection. These books are a practical invitation to slow down and build emotional wellbeing in ways that are simple, playful, and doable, one moment at a time.