Judy Lam: Kids Meditation, Eric the Penguin and a Slower Life in Paphos

Judy Lam teaches meditation and mindfulness to children, and she is the creator of Your Inner Penguin affirmation cards, featuring Eric the Penguin, a deck that helps children, and quite a few adults, talk more kindly to themselves. She lives in the Paphos area with her husband, their teenage son and their dog, Pongo. We asked her how it all started, what Cyprus has given her work and where she goes when she needs a breath of fresh air.

From Southport to Dubai to Paphos

Where are you from, and what brought you to Cyprus?

I am British-born Chinese, originally from Southport in the UK. Before Cyprus, we lived in Dubai for ten years. We wanted more time outdoors, access to nature and a slower pace of family life, and Cyprus felt like a good fit. We arrived in 2014.

How has Cyprus changed you or your work?

Living here has given me opportunities to connect with families and become involved in our school community. My work has grown beyond teaching sessions into sharing practical resources and supporting wellbeing through community projects.

Kids Meditation and Your Inner Penguin affirmation cards

How would you explain what you do to a new neighbour?

I am a children's meditation and mindfulness teacher and the founder of Kids Meditation. I also created Your Inner Penguin affirmation cards and mindful gifts. Through my resources, I help parents and carers understand and support their child's inner world: their thoughts, their feelings and the way they speak to themselves.

How did it start?

My interest in helping children grew through supporting my own son, and seeing how much children can struggle with their feelings and self-worth. Eric also has a deeply personal inspiration: a dear friend who died by suicide. Mental health awareness matters enormously to me, and I wanted to create something children could relate to, something that encourages kinder self-talk and conversations about how they feel.

Who is Eric?

Eric gives children a character they can connect with. He is a young penguin with an unusual foot who experiences self-doubt, comparison and the wish to fit in. The illustrations and affirmations offer a starting point for talking about these feelings. I bring my experience as a parent and a children's mindfulness teacher to the resources, and I keep them practical and easy to use.

Who is it for?

Children and young people, and the parents, carers and teachers who support them. I share simple tools for everyday challenges such as anxiety, friendship difficulties, exam stress and being hard on yourself. The aim is to help adults respond with understanding, and to give children ways to recognise their feelings and be kinder to themselves.

Behind the scenes

How is it made, and who is on your team?

Your Inner Penguin is my own small business. The deck has 52 affirmation cards and a booklet, and the cards are printed in Italy. I also create content for Instagram, including demonstrations of tools parents can try with their children.

Alongside my business, I am actively involved in Friends of TLC and lead the TLC Wellbeing Team in a voluntary capacity. We are a group of five parents working alongside Friends and the school, bringing different backgrounds and experiences to a shared aim: supporting students, staff and families.

Why Cyprus?

Cyprus is where I live, and where I have been able to build relationships with parents, teachers and local businesses. It gives me the chance to share the work face to face, through school activities and local events, while my online resources can reach families elsewhere too.

What were the biggest challenges?

One has been explaining meditation and mindfulness in a way that feels relevant to everyday family life. Demonstrating a simple activity makes it much easier to understand. Another has been introducing a small business to more people. I am building that gradually through social media, local stockists and events where people can see the products and ask questions.

What makes it worth it

Is there a moment that showed you it was all worth it?

What matters most to me is when a child feels more able to talk about their thoughts and feelings, or a parent finds a simple tool they can use at home. My resources are there to make those conversations easier.

I receive messages from people telling me how much the cards have helped them, or that a particular affirmation was exactly what they needed to hear that day. It's lovely to know that Eric encourages both children and adults.

What are you proudest of?

Creating Eric, and the community work we are doing through the TLC Wellbeing Team. We have organised Breakfast Boosts, where parents contribute breakfast treats for staff as a gesture of appreciation, supported students with mindfulness activities during exam week, and we now write a weekly wellbeing article for the school bulletin, with practical ideas for families on topics such as morning anxiety and friendship fallouts.

In 2025 I was involved in school mental health and wellbeing activities, including a parent coffee morning where I shared practical tools. Thanks to a generous donation from a kind parent, we were also able to give every child in Primary and Secondary a gift bag of mindful items for Children's Mental Health Week. That work laid the foundations for what we are building now.

Where to find Judy

Where can people find you or try what you do?

On Instagram, @kidsmeditationhub has practical tools for supporting children's inner world, and @yourinnerpenguin is all about Eric and the cards. My website is ericthepenguin.com. The affirmation cards are also available at Meraki Market Café, in Chlorakas. I also take part in local events, especially Christmas fairs, where families can see the cards and gifts and chat to me about using them.

What's coming next?

I am developing more practical demonstrations and resources for parents, alongside the weekly school wellbeing articles we write as a team. Christmas is a busy time: in November 2026 I'll be at the Kamares Club Christmas Fair and the ISOP International Winter Fair, followed by a children's session at The Bookish Loft in December, where I'll share the stories behind some of the Eric illustrations and show how to use the cards.

Your best advice for someone starting something similar in Cyprus?

Start with a clear purpose and something manageable. Get to know the community, listen to what families need and build relationships. Stay curious and let the work develop as you learn, rather than feeling you need everything worked out at the beginning.

Judy's Cyprus

Your secret spot?

Pano Panagia, for time outdoors. I walk the nature trail with Pongo while my family cycle, then we meet for a picnic or lunch. Pikni Forest is another lovely place for a shorter escape.

One perfect day with a visiting friend?

A couple of hours on the beach at Latchi, then Paphos Old Town for a few drinks and dinner.

A local habit you have made your own?

Siga siga: "slowly, slowly".

What would you tell someone on the fence about moving to Cyprus?

Think about the everyday life you want, not only the sunshine and the holidays. Spend time exploring and getting to know the community. For us, access to nature and a different pace of family life were the reasons to make the move.

Quick-fire round

• Cyprus in three words: relaxed outdoor living.
• The soundtrack of your life here: Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles.
• Best sound in Cyprus: nature early in the morning.
• The smell of Cyprus: oregano.
• Favourite village name to say out loud: Polemi.
• Your Cyprus superpower: making a lovely Greek salad.
• Something you'll never get used to: poorly insulated houses.
• One thing you'd change about the island: greater care for the environment.

Photos: Judy Lam.