SENTigerMum

02/01/2026

For SEN parents, socialising isn’t a quick fix — it’s a long-term goal we work towards slowly and gently.

My youngest did amazingly well at Christmas this year — the best she’s ever managed. New Year was a bit trickier.

Both things can be true:
✨ success
✨ struggle

And both are okay.

Remember: progression, not perfection 💚
How did your kids cope over Christmas and New Year? 💛💛💛

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30/12/2025

I tried to put it aside over Christmas.
I really did.
But it keeps coming back.

Because school is looming.
Meetings are booked.
And the fight hasn’t paused even when I needed it to.

Keeping my children at home isn’t an option.
It’s not a choice we get to make.

For Tommy, school isn’t just learning.
It’s routine.
It’s structure.
It’s safety.
It’s something his world depends on and something I know he couldn’t live without.

So when people say,
“At least you have a SEN school place,”
it cuts deeper than they realise.

Because yes, we have a place.
And no, it isn’t good enough.

The school is failing.
And now I’m pouring everything I have into trying to fix something that feels so broken
while parenting, protecting, and holding it all together.

And what breaks me the most
is thinking about what could have been.

The years behind us.
The progress we might have missed.
The support that should have been there but wasn’t.

That quiet grief sits heavy.
And sometimes my mind goes to frightening places,
wondering how different things might look now
if the right help had come sooner.

So please know this:

You don’t have to feel grateful just because you have a place.
You don’t have to accept a system that isn’t helping your child thrive.
And you are not wrong for fighting even when you’re exhausted.

A place is not enough.
Routine without support is not enough.
Attendance without progress is not enough.

Every child deserves an education that protects them, nurtures them,
and helps them become who they’re meant to be.

And I will keep fighting for that
even when it hurts.
Even when it feels endless.

Because they deserve nothing less.

I will make a difference for you Jude and Tommy. That I promise ❤️

26/12/2025

🎄 Sensory-friendly Boxing Day tip 💛💛💛

Boxing Day tip for SEND families:

Boxing Day can be harder than Christmas Day because:
• tired brains
• sugar crashes
• routine changes
• social hangovers

Try this simple reset:
✔️ quiet activity basket
✔️ favourite snacks
✔️ comfy clothes
✔️ no demands day
✔️ one tiny “yes” moment

It’s okay if today is about recovery, not celebration.
Your child’s needs don’t take a holiday – and neither do you.

Be gentle with yourself today 💛

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24/12/2025

Socialising looks different in SEN families — especially at Christmas. 💛💛💛

Socialising is something many people take for granted.
A knock on the door. Visitors popping in. Family gatherings. Small talk over tea.

But for many autistic children, socialising isn’t simple — it’s exhausting, overwhelming, and sometimes frightening.

In our house, having people visit can be really difficult.
Not because we don’t want to see people, and not because we don’t care — but because social interaction takes a huge amount of emotional energy for one of our children.

At Christmas, this becomes even harder.

There are more people.
More noise.
More expectations.
More change.

Routines disappear, homes are fuller, and the quiet pressure to “join in” grows.

As a SEN parent, I understand this isn’t rudeness or poor behaviour.
It’s regulation.
It’s sensory overload.
It’s anxiety.
And it’s real.

Socialising doesn’t just happen for our children — it has to be carefully supported.

That might mean:
• Leaving early
• Stepping outside for quiet time
• Missing events altogether
• Spending more time helping our child regulate than actually socialising ourselves

And that’s the part people often don’t see.

There is a pressure on SEN parents that others don’t carry.
A frustration that comes with not being able to socialise freely or spontaneously.

Every visit, every gathering, every social moment comes with planning, emotional labour, and often the aftermath of dysregulation — sometimes hours or even days later.

This is a long-term journey.
One where we gently support our child to navigate social situations with patience, understanding, and love.

SENTigerMum.com
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22/12/2025

What will everyone’s Christmas dinner look like? 🎄💛💛💛

We’re a neurodivergent household, and Christmas dinner doesn’t look the same for everyone here.

I have two children with ASD.
One now eats a more neurotypical diet.
The other is still very loyal to her safe yellow foods.

She is an amazing cook. She loves cooking family meals, helps in the kitchen, and will even try new foods… but she won’t take them on yet.

And that’s okay.
It’s all progress — and we’ll get there in our own time.

Her Christmas dinner will be sausages, homemade chips, and Oreos 🤍
And you know what? She’ll be happy, full, and regulated — which matters far more than tradition.

One day, I’m sure she’ll eat a full Christmas dinner.
Just not this year.

So I’m curious —
What will everyone else’s Christmas dinners look like?

SENTigerMum.com
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# NeurodivergentFamily
# ParentAdvocate
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21/12/2025

SENTigerMum.com
# SENDParent
# SENParentSupport
# NeurodivergentFamily
# ParentAdvocate
# SenTigerMum
# SenTigerMumTalks

21/12/2025

Christmas is a huge change of routine for children who are neurodivergent and neurotypical.

This December we’ve had numerous school events, a birthday, and a school trial to get through — all on top of the usual December bugs, coughs, and colds.

After more than a decade of knowing we are a neurodivergent family, I’ve come to one clear conclusion:

Less is more in December.

It’s overwhelming for everyone trying to fit everything in — Santa visits, pantos, school events — and for our family there always seems to be some sort of illness thrown into the mix too.

This month I created a visual timetable for my youngest so she could see her school events and family meet-ups. It’s worked really well and helped reduce a lot of anxiety.

That’s not to say everything went perfectly…
Some events didn’t work out as planned — and that’s okay. All you can do is regroup and start again the next day.

Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year 🎄✨
If you’d like to share what you do to support your little ones over Christmas, please pop it in the comments — you never know who it might help 💬💕

SENTigerMum.com
# SENDParent
# SENParentSupport
# NeurodivergentFamily
# ParentAdvocate
# SenTigerMum
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07/12/2025

As a Mum of x2 diagnosed when they where both 3, living in Greenwich borough this makes me very angry 🤬

We could have been supported in such a better way a decade ago.
Instead, we were met with very little provision and even less understanding.

It was already a shock to realise we were on a more difficult path… and yet we had to navigate it almost entirely on our own

01/12/2025

26/11/2025

It’s getting a mark 😂😂😂