Dear School: Sensory Breaks Are Not a Reward – They’re a Lifeline

 Dear School: Sensory Breaks Are Not a Reward – They’re a Lifeline!

Let me just say it loud for the people in the back:

SENSORY BREAKS ARE NOT A TREAT.

They're not a reward, they're not a bribe, and they’re definitely not something my child should have to “earn.”

They are a lifeline.
A reset button.
The difference between a regulated, engaged child — and a full-blown meltdown next to the reading corner.

I’ve spoken to so many parents lately who feel the same way.
Some are even reluctant to send their child to school at all — not because they don’t value education, but because they’re terrified of the outdated nonsense still floating around in classrooms.

Schools are still treating sensory support like a luxury.
Meanwhile, our children are masking, breaking down, and losing trust in the very places meant to support them.

So, dear school… we need to talk.

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What a Sensory Break Actually Is

Let’s get this clear — a sensory break is:

• A self-regulation strategy

• A chance for the nervous system to decompress

• A non-negotiable support for children with sensory processing differences

It’s not “free time.” It’s not “getting away with something.”
And it’s sure as heck not a reward for “good behaviour.”

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The Problem With Withholding It

When schools treat sensory breaks like they’re something to be earned:

• Kids spiral

• Behaviour escalates

• Focus crashes

• And shame creeps in

It’s like punishing a child for wearing glasses by making them “earn” the right to put them on.

Would we ever say,

“If you sit quietly for 20 minutes, then you can use your inhaler”?
No. Because that would be ridiculous.

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How Schools Can Reframe the Approach

Instead of:

“Take a sensory break if you’ve been good.”

Try:

“Take a sensory break when you need to feel safe and ready to learn.”

✅ Make it part of the routine
✅ Normalise it for everyone
✅ Let the child lead when possible
✅ Trust that it’s support — not spoiling

And please, for the love of all things calm, stop making it feel like a prize they have to earn by masking their needs.

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Support, Not Shame

Sensory needs aren’t behavioural issues.
They’re neurological.
They’re real.
And they deserve respect, not restrictions.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — the world (and especially schools) need to adapt to our children.
Not the other way around.

Because no child should be afraid to walk into a classroom.
No parent should be afraid to drop them off.

We’re not asking for special treatment.
We’re asking for understanding, flexibility, and basic respect for the way our kids experience the world.

Sensory breaks are not “fun extras.”
They are part of survival — and your classroom will be a better place for everyone when you embrace them as such.

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💬 Want to go deeper?

Check out my other post:
👉 Is the World Really Embracing Autism or Just Saying It Is? 

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Download visual printables, calm kits, and talk cards here 👉
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Comment below if you have encountered this at your child's school!