Dealing with a highly sensitive person can be a roller coaster if you’ve never had the experience before. Not surprisingly, trying to raise a child with those same tendencies can come with even more ups and downs.
Especially as you try to help, them navigate their sensitivities and learn how both use and control them. There are books written specifically on these human sensitivities.
If you’re looking for a place to start building a foundation and get an idea of what they need. These four ways to interact with your child are a great place to begin.
Allow Them Space
Situations, where a lot is going on can easily, affect a highly sensitive child. For example, large crowds, lots of noise and many things vying for their attention.
These situations can overwhelm a child causing them to react strongly. Make sure your child has a quiet space where they can spend time recharging or preparing for such events.
They also need a safe space in which they can speak and assess their emotions. It’s easy for us to become impatient with their emotional outbursts and respond to them poorly.
However, a little patience and time helping them sort through what’s causing those emotions can help them develop much-needed coping skills.
Additionally, it also builds their relationship and trust in you.
Help Them Find Outlets
When someone is highly sensitive, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the load on their shoulders. Whether it’s from work, school, or other events like arguing with their friends.
While they’re young, help them to find healthy outlets for these situations. Situations that could potentially lead to extreme emotions prompting detrimental reactions.
They will likely have a deep love for the arts. However, even sports they’re curious about could serve as an outlet.
Finding an activity that will give them a place to release can be a tool they use throughout their life. Giving them much needed space to think, resolve their emotions and prepare to come back to the issue with a calm mind.
Consider Punishments Carefully
Because your child can overreact to feelings and situations, you should tread lightly when it comes to discipline. This doesn’t mean you avoid any punishment at all to protect your child.
However, softer discipline will affect them as profoundly as something harsher would affect an average child. Your approach is critical as well.
Help your child understand the reason for their punishment. Also, help them to know making a mistake is okay and can be corrected.
Showing them there’s a way to move forward and still trust you will help them to continue being open about their emotions and cultivate positive relationships with others.
Prepare for Scary Situations
Situations that you found reasonable as a child might not feel that way for your child. A sensitive child will benefit from the time you spend with them preparing for things.
For example, like visiting the doctor’s office or sleeping away from home for the first time. For each situation, talk through what will happen, so they know what to expect.
You can even make a preemptive visit to see the space beforehand. Medical professionals and others who work with children are especially aware of this and are happy to provide things like pediatric laser dentistry, fun murals, and conversations on your child’s level to give them the most comfortable experience possible.
Be aware of experiences that might make your child feel scared and take time to find out more about them. As you help your child navigate these small worries, you’ll help them develop strategies to face the more considerable scale experiences of adulthood.
