Giving Kids the Tools to Thrive in a Noisy World
Hi, I’m Stephanie Esser, MAEd, founder of Balancing Elephants®, creator of BE Buddy®, educator, certified breathwork and yoga instructor, and mother of four.
For decades, I’ve been passionate about helping children feel seen, supported, and empowered with tools that help them thrive. As both a teacher and a mom, I’ve seen how much the world has changed for kids. We are living in a very different world than even 50 years ago—and today’s children need new tools and new skills to navigate it well.
Kids are growing up in a world that is louder, faster, more stimulating, and often more overwhelming than ever before. That’s why I care so deeply about helping children build adaptability, resilience, self-awareness, and healthy ways to manage stress from an early age.
I created BE Buddy® after years of teaching mindfulness, breathing, and movement practices in schools and noticing that children needed something tangible to help them connect with these calming tools. During a breathing exercise in a kindergarten classroom, I saw that stuffed animals kept sliding off students’ bellies, turning a calming moment into a distraction. That moment sparked an idea.
I designed BE Buddy® as a multisensory breathing companion to help children see and feel their breath in a simple, comforting, screen-free way. Each BE Buddy® is created to support healthy breathing, grounding, emotional regulation, and relaxation—while also giving kids a lovable companion they want to use again and again.
My mission is to help raise a generation of children who feel more calm, capable, and connected from the inside out. Because in a noisy world, kids don’t just need comfort—they need skills. They need tools that help them pause, breathe, adapt, and respond with confidence.
At Balancing Elephants®, you’ll find thoughtful tools for parents, teachers, therapists, and caregivers who want to help children build lifelong coping skills with more ease, warmth, and intention.
Because every child deserves the chance to grow into a calm, confident, and resilient humans.
— Stephanie
