Tara Alison
Mom of five and creator of Birch & Light — author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
Tara and Faith, July 2025
Tara Alison
Mom of five and creator of Birch & Light — author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
Tara and Faith, July 2025
Tara Alison
Mom of five and creator of Birch & Light — author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
I'm Tara Alison (Tara Alison Oporto), a mom of five and the creator of LightMap and the award-winning Birch & Light Method, named a Mom's Choice Awards® Gold Recipient in 2026. Within Birch & Light, I serve as the author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
Raising five very different kids — some with sensitive nervous systems and big feelings — shaped this work in the most practical way possible. Birch & Light wasn't something I set out to create. It grew out of everyday motherhood. For years, I made up calming bedtime stories and simple songs for my daughter Faith, using straightforward storytelling and gentle melodies to help her feel safe, understood, and connected at the end of the day. The kids asked for stories, mostly Faith, and I made them up as I went. Sometimes I just started singing. Over time, those moments added up, and Birch & Light began to take shape.
"Those nightly moments became the heart of Birch & Light."
The playful songs came from everyday family life too — singing about s'mores in our home music room, turning "No Running in Socks" into a fun safety song, and finding humor and steadiness in busy, overstimulating moments. Over time, the books and music grew together as different ways to help children understand what's going on inside them.
The Birch & Light Method and LightMap grew out of the same need: helping parents see the patterns underneath a child's behavior, so what they do next comes from understanding rather than guesswork.
Outside of home, I've served my community through public education and access to learning, including a three-year term on my local Board of Education and service on my local Library Board. My work focused on curriculum and instructional programs, and I served as a liaison with parents, early childhood education, and special education supports — to help families feel heard and children feel better supported.
I create stories and songs to help children feel safe, seen, and connected, and to give parents simple ways to reconnect in the moments that feel the most intense, busy, or confusing.
I'm Tara Alison (Tara Alison Oporto), a mom of five and the creator of LightMap and the award-winning Birch & Light Method, named a Mom's Choice Awards® Gold Recipient in 2026. Within Birch & Light, I serve as the author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
Raising five very different kids — some with sensitive nervous systems and big feelings — shaped this work in the most practical way possible. Birch & Light wasn't something I set out to create. It grew out of everyday motherhood. For years, I made up calming bedtime stories and simple songs for my daughter Faith, using straightforward storytelling and gentle melodies to help her feel safe, understood, and connected at the end of the day. The kids asked for stories, mostly Faith, and I made them up as I went. Sometimes I just started singing. Over time, those moments added up, and Birch & Light began to take shape.
"Those nightly moments became the heart of Birch & Light."
The playful songs came from everyday family life too — singing about s'mores in our home music room, turning "No Running in Socks" into a fun safety song, and finding humor and steadiness in busy, overstimulating moments. Over time, the books and music grew together as different ways to help children understand what's going on inside them.
The Birch & Light Method and LightMap grew out of the same need: helping parents see the patterns underneath a child's behavior, so what they do next comes from understanding rather than guesswork.
Outside of home, I've served my community through public education and access to learning, including a three-year term on my local Board of Education and service on my local Library Board. My work focused on curriculum and instructional programs, and I served as a liaison with parents, early childhood education, and special education supports — to help families feel heard and children feel better supported.
I create stories and songs to help children feel safe, seen, and connected, and to give parents simple ways to reconnect in the moments that feel the most intense, busy, or confusing.
I'm Tara Alison (Tara Alison Oporto), a mom of five and the creator of LightMap and the award-winning Birch & Light Method, named a Mom's Choice Awards® Gold Recipient in 2026. Within Birch & Light, I serve as the author, songwriter, art director, and producer.
Raising five very different kids — some with sensitive nervous systems and big feelings — shaped this work in the most practical way possible. Birch & Light wasn't something I set out to create. It grew out of everyday motherhood. For years, I made up calming bedtime stories and simple songs for my daughter Faith, using straightforward storytelling and gentle melodies to help her feel safe, understood, and connected at the end of the day. The kids asked for stories, mostly Faith, and I made them up as I went. Sometimes I just started singing. Over time, those moments added up, and Birch & Light began to take shape.
The playful songs came from everyday family life too — singing about s'mores in our home music room, turning "No Running in Socks" into a fun safety song, and finding humor and steadiness in busy, overstimulating moments. Over time, the books and music grew together as different ways to help children understand what's going on inside them.
The Birch & Light Method and LightMap grew out of the same need: helping parents see the patterns underneath a child's behavior, so what they do next comes from understanding rather than guesswork.
Outside of home, I've served my community through public education and access to learning, including a three-year term on my local Board of Education and service on my local Library Board. My work focused on curriculum and instructional programs, and I served as a liaison with parents, early childhood education, and special education supports — to help families feel heard and children feel better supported.
I create stories and songs to help children feel safe, seen, and connected, and to give parents simple ways to reconnect in the moments that feel the most intense, busy, or confusing.
The Feelings
Every Birch & Light moment begins with emotion. Kids feel deeply, even when they don't have the words yet.
The Stories
Narratives that turn tough moments into safe, relatable adventures that help kids feel seen.
The Music
Songs that meet kids where they are. A little silly. A little steady. A lot supportive.
Some songs are for kids. Some are for the adults figuring it out.
The Art
Watercolor illustrations and grounded characters that help kids settle in and stay with the story.
The Mission
To help families reset and reconnect by transforming emotional overwhelm into understanding, healing, and closeness.