About Mary Willow

Founder, author, mentor

After 35 years of working as a nurse, midwife and early childhood teacher I saw a great need for a one-on-one service to provide education and mentoring for parents. In response, I founded a parent support service, Plum Parenting, and since 2007 have developed unique skills and methods which are proving to be enormously helpful to parents, whānau, caregivers, teachers and all professionals in the field of child support. 

Years of experience culminated in my book Breaking Through - How to Rescue Childhood and Heal the Parent-Child Relationship, to be released on June 1st 2026 by Bateman Books New Zealand.

Updates will be published to this website and the Plum Parenting Facebook and Instagram pages.

Experience & qualifications

• Parent Mentoring since 2007

• Lecturing on Child Development and Parenting Topics

• Teaching in Kindergartens and Early Childhood Programs

• Facilitating Playgroups

• Co-ordinating Parent Education Programs

• Teaching Prenatal Programs

• Midwifery: involved in legalising midwifery in Canada and creating a pioneering community midwifery service

• General Nursing in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and Canada.

• Management of Therapeutic and Medical Clinics

• Parenting