The little things are the big things
Calm moments are the small, everyday joys that make a day feel good. The first sip of tea in the morning. Rain on the window while you’re warm inside. Laughing with a friend over dinner. When you’re a parent or carer of a child with SEN, the days can feel like one long list of appointments, school calls, forms and being “on”, and these moments are easy to miss. But they’re there every single day.
These ideas are inspired by hygge, the Danish idea of cosy comfort. As Bambo Nature puts it, it’s about enjoying the little moments in life. That’s the whole idea behind my 15-minute calm moments: small pauses that fit into even the fullest day.
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12 everyday calm moments to savour
1. The first cup of the day
Before the day starts asking things of you, sit with a hot drink and do nothing else. Use your favourite mug and drink it while it’s hot.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Sit with a hot drink until it’s finished.
2. Watching the rain from somewhere warm
There’s something deeply cosy about being dry and warm while the weather does its worst outside. Find a window seat, wrap up in a blanket and just watch.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Watch the rain from somewhere warm.
3. Lighting a candle at dusk
Striking a match as the light fades is a little ritual that tells your body the day is winding down. Natural beeswax candles (affiliate link) make it feel extra special.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Light a candle that smells like the season.
4. A slow bath
Not a rushed shower, but a proper bath with candles, a good soap and no phone. A bar of Faith in Nature natural soap and a few drops of lavender bath oil (affiliate links) turn it into a treat.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Take a slow, unhurried bath.
5. Getting into warm pyjamas
Pop your pyjamas on the radiator while you brush your teeth. It takes no effort and feels like a hug at the end of a long day.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Warm your pyjamas on the radiator before bed.
6. A real book and a quiet corner
Ten pages of a paper book, curled up under a lamp, can reset a frazzled mind. If you need a starting point, Meik Wiking’s little book on Danish cosy living (affiliate link) is a lovely, gentle read.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Curl up with a real book.
7. The smell of something baking
Few things make a house feel like a home faster than the smell of baking. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. A batch of scones or a tray of flapjacks is enough.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Bake something small.
8. A phone call with an old friend
Calm moments are often shared. Ring someone you’ve been meaning to call, not to make plans, just to catch up. It’s the kind of moment you’ll both remember.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Ring a friend just to catch up.
9. Watching the sun go down
Stop what you’re doing and watch the sky change colour. It costs nothing and slows your whole body down.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Watch a sunset from start to finish.
10. Writing it down
Noticing these moments gets easier when you write them down. Søstrene Grene suggests keeping a journal of cosy memories. A simple linen-covered notebook (affiliate link) is all you need.
Your 15-minute calm moment: End the day by naming one calm moment.
11. A slow walk with nowhere to be
Leave the headphones at home and notice what’s around you: birdsong, crunchy leaves, the smell after rain. Even a walk round the block counts.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Notice five different textures on a walk.
12. Doing absolutely nothing
Sometimes the most calming moment of all is giving yourself permission to stop. No tasks, no scrolling, no guilt.
Your 15-minute calm moment: Do absolutely nothing on purpose.
Collect your own calm moments
Once you start looking for calm moments, you’ll find them everywhere. Pick one from this list for today, and notice how it feels. Children borrow our calm, so these small joys help them too. When you want more, here are small joys for SEN parents when everything feels flat or low.
Looking after you is part of looking after them. For more calm moments made for parents and carers of children with SEN, visit For parents. And if you’d like simple 10-minute activities to help your child, Mooki Cards starter packs are free until 31 January with the code HELPEVERYCHILD.