Life as a SEN mum

Let’s face it, parties can be a difficult situation for lots of us to deal with. People we don’t know, lots of noise, if there’s a dress code that can throw another load of issues into the mix. This happened to us recently, so I thought I’d share some of the things that helped us get through it reasonably smoothly.

Dress Code

I’ll start with this one as it’s very specific but there more than likely will be parties and events where you may need to meet a dress code. Any of us who have had to get a child into uniform know it can be tricky, and it goes against every urge as parents seeing them not be comfortable in their clothing. But every now and again an event comes along where their comfiest clothing might not be considered appropriate. Obviously the first thing is to try to opt for items that might be a little more comfortable, but still look the part. Another trick that worked for me recently was having something comfy to hand. Certain shirts really irritate James and I could tell he really didn’t want to wear it, so we agreed, if he could keep it on for about 2 hours, by time we’d all eaten then he could change. Worked a treat, didn’t once look uncomfortable or unhappy, just kept himself distracted and when the time came he asked to go and change.

Food

This is a pretty easy one to get around, check what food will be on offer and plan around it, whether that’s eating before /after or simply taking a few options of your own. Although where kids are concerned it’s probably always an idea to have a bag of snacks anyway to keep them occupied.

Crowds

Probably the biggest and most common trigger is crowds. Lots of people, that potentially they don’t know, the extra noise, can all cause sensory overload. Always make sure you have ear defenders packed, if your child uses them. It’s also worth scoping out any quiet places at the venue. Somewhere that they can escape to if everything does get a little too much.

Music

I’ll keep this brief as it overlaps with crowds. But make sure if your child is sensitive to sound make sure they have their ear defenders, and make sure that there is somewhere quiet they can go, just to have a bit of a break.

Whatever problems you might be concerned about it’s also worth speaking to the host and seeing whether there’s also anything that can be put in place to be able to accommodate anyone with sensory needs.