Being a SEN mum means your days are full, your heart is stretched, and your energy is often running on empty. You give so much — and yet, when it comes to giving yourself permission to pause, guilt has a sneaky way of creeping in.

Here’s your reminder: taking a break is not selfish, it’s survival. You don’t need to earn rest, and you’re not letting anyone down by catching your breath. In fact, you’re showing your child the power of self-care.

So, here are 10 tips to help you press pause without the guilt.

1. Schedule Micro-Breaks Like Appointments

Even five minutes in the garden, sitting with a cuppa, or listening to a song can restore you. Put these moments in your calendar and protect them like sacred ground.

2. Say Yes to Help

When someone offers, your automatic answer becomes: “Yes, thank you.” No explanations, no guilt. Remember, accepting help is a strength, not a weakness.

3. Your Calm Corner is Sacred

Create a tiny spot that’s just for you — headphones, tea, blanket, maybe a favourite candle. No toys, no laundry piles. Just a safe, peaceful space to exhale.

4. Good Enough is Great Enough

Not every meal has to be Instagram-worthy. Beans on toast counts. Done is better than perfect. Your child needs your presence more than a perfect plate.

5. Delegate Like a Boss

If someone else can do it — even if they do it badly — let them. Your mental energy is too precious to spend on folding laundry “the right way.”

6. Lower the Bar Proudly

Repeat after me: Survival > Spotless house. Dust can wait. Your well-being cannot.

7. Find Your People

Other SEN mums get it in a way no one else can. Find them online, in groups, or at school gates. Their nods of understanding are worth more than a thousand pep talks.

8. Make a Break Menu

Keep a little list of things that recharge you — a podcast, a walk, a stretch, a book. That way, when you get a spare 10 minutes, you don’t waste it deciding what to do.

9. Switch Off (Just a Bit)

Step away from the phone and the endless scrolling. Social media can drain more than it fills. Even 15 minutes offline can quiet the noise.

10. Rest is Maintenance, Not a Treat

You are the engine of your family. Engines don’t run on empty — they need fuel, maintenance, and time to cool. Rest isn’t indulgence, it’s essential.