On February 8, 2024, we were honored with a rare and extraordinary opportunity: to sit down with Anna Tardos, daughter of Emmi Pikler—the pioneer behind what’s now known around the world as the Pikler Approach.

Anna is 93 years young, which is exactly how it feels when you’re with her. She’s sharp, quick-witted, and still deeply devoted to what matters: giving babies the best possible care, and supporting the adults who do that work.

She welcomed us into the Pikler House in Budapest, where she’s spent decades learning, teaching, and quietly correcting the world’s many misunderstandings about her mother’s work. And she does it with grace. And clarity. And the kind of dry brilliance that makes you lean in and laugh at the same time.

This wasn’t just a history lesson. It was a conversation about freedom of movement, about the science behind observation, and about what it means to respect a baby without turning that into a performance.

She spoke about her mother—not just as the legendary pediatrician, but as her mother. What it was like growing up with the woman the world now calls the mother of respectful caregiving. And then, as if that weren’t enough life for one person, she shared what it meant to survive the Holocaust. Yes, there’s a twist. It’s a big one.

This is part one of our interview series with Anna Tardos, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Check out the related video on our Instagram. 

Follow us on Instagram to watch the clips, hear her stories, and sit with her voice. There’s something about Anna that makes you want to listen more carefully. Maybe to her. Maybe to babies. Maybe to both.

Some people talk about caregiving. Anna lives it.