Meet one of our newest experts and the woman behind @zaziplays

Speech and language therapist and social media sensation, Zazi Henderson shares her story. 

 WORDS: Kahu de Beer
PHOTOGRAPHY: Rachelle Joilin

Zazi Henderson and her partner,  Jon are the dynamic couple behind Instagram platform @zaziplays, where Zazi first started blogging as a new mum nearly five years ago. Since then her platform has grown exponentially and she now has a website which includes the Zazi Hub – where all the information she shares on Instagram is compiled in one place, and an online store stocking her own products.

Zazi (34) grew up in the north of England, and immigrated to New Zealand shortly after the rest of her family when she was 18. Keen to find a career where she could help people in a practical way, Zazi heard about the Speech and Language Pathology degree through her mum who was working for the Ministry of Education at the time. “I found out about the degree, read all about it and that same day drove the two hours to Christchurch and signed up” she says. “I liked the idea of the mixture of connecting with people and learning their story – assessing them like a doctor would and offering them a pathway forward to improve their lives. It’s also a very multifaceted qualification, you can work in acute wards in hospitals, with people with Parkinson’s disease, with those who’ve had strokes; there are so many avenues” she says.

After completing her degree, Zazi’s first posting was as a speech and language therapist at the Ministry of Education in Dunedin where she worked for eight years. “I worked my way up to become a service manager, leading a multidisciplinary team of different types of therapists such as psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. I’m really lucky to have learnt so much from working in that team. I gained a great deal of knowledge across a number of different areas during this time” says Zazi.

The idea to start blogging first came about when Zazi was at home on maternity leave with her son August (now 5) and wanted to do something where she could use the skills she had gained to help others, as well as connect with other mums. “I could see on Instagram people sharing their knowledge about sleep, feeding, and other things to do with child development and I thought, ‘Actually I’ve got a lot to give here and I could be helping some other parents and using my brain while I’m at home caring for my baby’. So I started blogging on Instagram” shares Zazi.

As a new mum, Zazi says it was a really lonely time and blogging was a way to reach out to other mums in the same season as her. “I wanted to show the reality of parenting – the messy house, the hard days. I wanted to be a safe person for other mums or parents to connect with and take advice from rather than going down the google hole of information which can feel scary” she says. With our modern culture not providing a ‘village’ for new parents, Zazi says that she wanted to create an online village. “I’m so proud of this community and the connections I’ve made with other parents,” says Zazi.

It seems that what Zazi was sharing resonated with a lot of parents and was much-needed as her Instagram page took off in a way she wasn’t expecting. “It’s grown hugely but in a completely organic way, by word of mouth. I get some wonderful feedback and support from the people who follow me, I get stopped in the street by people who tell me that something I’ve said has really helped them, that's what keeps me going” she says. Zazi also shares that some of her closest friends are women that she’s met through her platform.

Zazi is known for sharing tips on connecting with your child through play (the messier the better), communication development strategies, and respectful parenting advice. Zazi says that when she first went into practice as a speech and language therapist she thought that a lot of the ways she saw people parenting was the norm and was what children needed. “It wasn’t until I completed a lot of professional development and learnt more about brain development and the benefits of respecting children’s emotions and meeting their needs with kindness that I realised that there was a better way. Once you learn that children don’t want to misbehave, you can come into a situation a lot calmer” she says.

Another reason behind Zazi and her partner, Jon (33) creating the Zazi platform was to have more time for their family. Although Zazi admits that right now it’s a juggle, she says they have chosen to do this to prioritise their children August (5), and Etta (2 ½). “The kids go to preschool 2-3 days per week, then they’re with us the rest of the time. Jon and I tag-team a lot. There’s loads of other things that fall by the wayside like dishes and housekeeping, but we choose to put the connecting, playing, and having adventures with our children at the forefront. We’ll have a tidy house one day” laughs Zazi.

On her platform Zazi welcomes questions and feedback from those in her community and shares her advice in the hopes of helping other parents that are dealing with similar things. Zazi says that the topic that she gets asked about the most is developmental milestones. “Parents worry about if they’re doing a good job. Social media can be a scary place, mums see other children doing XY or Z, and other people's houses looking put together, they worry about whether you’re doing the best job that they can, or if their child is behind or delayed” says Zazi. Another thing that she says comes up a lot for slightly older children is behaviour and how parents can cope with certain stages or behaviours while still remaining respectful. “I hear a lot of parents saying, ‘My child is doing things that they know that they shouldn’t’, and they’re feeling really triggered because it feels like intentional disrespect,” says Zazi.

More than anything, Zazi says that she wants parents to feel empowered on their journey, and to know that they are the experts on their own child. “Once parents have strategies, they don’t feel so alone or stuck in a google hole. I want to be a safe space for parents to come to for strategies and advice. A lot of people worry, thinking they need to send their kids to a professional, but parents are the first and the best teachers. A little bit of knowledge can make a huge difference” says Zazi.

Alongside the Zazi Hub, Zazi and Jon also have a shop on their website where they sell their own products which have emerged out of their desire to meet the needs of their own children in practical ways. “The product side of our business came off the back of me struggling through the feeding stage with my first child and feeling super frustrated with products that weren’t meeting his needs. That, coupled with my knowledge of speech and language and what I knew about feeding and oral development was the driving force behind it” says Zazi. “ I now design all of our products to meet the needs that I see and we strive to design thoughtful products that add value to a child’s development journey.  Our products are child focussed and we’re passionate about receiving feedback and are always growing and perfecting things” she says. Their range covers play, learning, accessories and mealtime products.

Zazi says that the creative side of coming up with the products and designs is a great outlet for her. She also loves seeing her kids engage in and use the products they have. “They’re our chief testers and take it very seriously” she says, “My son recently said ‘I can’t wait to turn six so I can go to school for a year then work for Zazi’. He’s very keen to join the family business” she laughs.

As well as running her Zazi platform, and being mum to her two kids, Zazi has also recently started a podcast with best friend, Tess O’Brien, a Kiwi who lives in the UK. The podcast, called ‘You’ve got this’ comes out weekly and covers topics from behaviour to communication to milestones. “It’s a place where we share our own experiences – things that have gone well and not so well. We take on questions from listeners and address common issues people are facing such as picky eating, going to the hairdresser, and how to deal with meltdowns in the supermarket” says Zazi. Between the two of them, Zazi and Tess have over 20 years experience working with children, with Tess being a consultant speech therapist specialising in working with autistic children. Most episodes also come with a free printable resource that parents can use.

Zazi says that her priority above all else is to foster a close connection with her children from an early age and to encourage other parents to do the same. “I want to be a safe space for my children to have emotions around, someone who they’re not going to feel any judgment from. I want them to come to me when they’re older, and to keep that close connection throughout our lives. I think ultimately that’s what we all want”.

Visit zazi.co.nz and @zaziplays on Instagram.