Meet Mary Smith
Parenting speaker, coach, and bestselling author of The MicroStep Method for the Overwhelmed Parent.
“Focus, Mommy. Focus.”
This is a story about a mom running on fumes, pulled in a million directions, trying to hold it all together for kids who just wanted to be seen.
My journey as both a parent and a parenting professional began at home, raising four daughters born within five years.
(If you think that math is hard, try living it.)
Through countless exhausting days—when the noise, the meltdowns, and the never-ending demands left me feeling like I was constantly failing—I realized something: Every hard moment, every tear-filled bedtime battle wasn’t just something to survive. It was an opportunity waiting to be claimed. Not just for my girls’ benefit. For mine.
Imagine turning a meltdown into a moment of meaningful connection or screen-time struggles into building blocks of resilience.
That’s the essence of the MicroStep Method®—born from experience, tested in chaos, and shaped by necessity.
But like most parenting breakthroughs, it started in a hard place.
The first “Aha!” of many.
In 2010, I found myself in the darkest corners of parenting, seeing the echoes of my own anxiety and depression surface in my daughters.
The “lightbulb” moment that led to the MicroStep Method came during a particularly difficult time with one of my daughters. I realized her behavior wasn’t just about the immediate frustration—it reflected deeper issues beneath the surface.
That’s when I started to shift my focus from simply “getting through the day” to being more intentional in my responses. Drawing from my background in neuroscience and mindfulness, this approach evolved into a powerful tool that has helped not only my family but countless others.
And the impact? It shows up huge in the smallest, most powerful ways.
The key to profound and positive change
It’s not about being a perfect mom or a different person—it’s about showing up a little differently some of the time, one moment at a time.
Research shows that emotionally significant moments, even when they are “small”— become emotional anchors for our kids: our joy when they walk through the door, the sting of hearing “No,” a heartfelt squeeze in a moment of disappointment.
They take hold. They stack up. When you see those same moments as opportunities, you’re sculpting their brain, laying the groundwork for them to thrive.
Small steps. Big impact.
Mary’s Credentials
Master Certified Life Coach (C.L.M.C)
Masters in Business
Certified Positive Parenting Educator
Bachelor of Arts
Economics and Math
Board Member
Welcome to
The MicroStep Method®
Helping parents raise children who rise to life’s challenges—one empowered moment at a time.
Parenting today is filled with social pressures, stress, and constant quick decisions—all of which can create real challenges, despite (or even because of!) our best efforts.
Through over 25 years of raising four daughters and coaching parents, Mary Willcox Smith discovered that small, intentional shifts in how we respond—what she calls MicroSteps—can lead to deep, lasting change in ways that feel easily doable and instantly palpable. Her MicroStep Method® offers parents a simple, research-backed way to transform everyday struggles into meaningful moments of positive change.
Grounded in neuroscience and child development, the MicroStep Method is particularly powerful in the mother-daughter relationship, where strong communication and close, nurturing connections lay the foundation for emotional well-being, healthy relationships, and lifelong success.
By making tiny adjustments in how parents interact with their kids, the MicroStep Method® creates a ripple effect, strengthening bonds, encouraging better behavior and choices, and fostering a calmer, more connected home.
The beauty of this approach is that it’s accessible for every parent, no matter how chaotic life feels.
Mary Smith with husband John and their 4 daughters
“In every parenting moment, there is an opportunity: to react or to reach. In that reach, we can become the parents we want to be
—and the one our child needs us to be.”
—MARY WILLCOX SMITH
PARENTING SPEAKER, AUTHOR & COACHBetter parenting moments are just a microstep away.
“I tell everyone that they need a 'Mary.' We were really struggling with our kids. Once we were able to incorporate Mary's ideas - we saw a huge shift.
Suddenly kids were listening more, fighting less, and just more kind. We are now the parents we have always wanted to be.”
—Rebecca and John, Parents of 2“Mary really helped us understand our daughter's ADHD and why she would respond better if we worked on changing how we responded too.
She was so supportive and helpful — I would recommend her to anyone.”
—Brielle, Mom of 4 girls“Given the state of everything that’s going on, I want to make sure my daughter is ready to see the world as it is and equipped to make it better—for herself and others.
Mary’s “in the moment” approach strengthened my relationship with my daughter in ways I never imagined. We’re both growing stronger together.”
Andrea, Mom of 1
Stop the Sass:
Three Easy Steps to Handling Back Talk Without Backing (or Breaking) Down
Packed with powerful MicroStep Method® scripts, this handy download helps you validate her perspective, set boundaries, and empower better choices—one conversation at a time.
As featured on
Recent Podcasts
