It is a common misconception that parents can use similar parenting strategies for all children.
Children are unique and have their personalities so the parenting style needs to be adaptable to the child.
Parenting a sensitive child may pose special challenges to parents due to the different personality traits of a sensitive child.
The first step towards changing the parenting style to suit a sensitive child is to recognise the child’s unique disposition.
When parents realise their child is sensitive, they can start providing the right support and guidance to help the child grow and develop as they should.
Parents will need to be more thoughtful and intentional with their approach towards parenting their sensitive child but it will be well worth the effort.
10 Signs to Help You Recognise a Highly Sensitive Child and Anxiety
Parents may find it difficult to recognise if their child is a highly sensitive person.
Don’t fret, there are 10 simple but highly sensitive child diagnosis you can look out for to determine if your child is highly sensitive or experiencing some level of sensory processing disorder.
Let’s explore these 10 signs that can help:
Comfort Zone
A child with sensory processing sensitivity will find it difficult to try new things. Venturing out of their comfort zone can make them feel very insecure and the child can be highly resistant to any efforts to encourage them to experience something new.
A good way is to give them space during their birthday party, where they are free to express their feelings.
Sensitive to Pain
Having a very low pain threshold can be a trait for a sensitive child. This is one of the characterises of a child with sensory processing sensitivity as they experience distress more easily.
Observant Child
If your child is generally quiet and reserved in a group, you can notice that they might be observing the people around them. A sensitive child can be highly observant and process more sensory information compared to another child.
Easily Upset
Just like a sensitive person who is an adult can be easily upset by failures, challenges or any negative situation, it can be the same for a sensitive child. A child that thinks with the heart will be easily upset as they are driven by emotions.
Easily Overwhelmed
A child with sensory processing sensitivity will be easily overwhelmed and upset by sudden loud noises, bright lights and strong smells. The child will not be comfortable with any changes that affect the environment that they previously felt safe in.
Emotional
The immediate reaction of a sensitive child is based on their emotions. When a sensitive child is disciplined, they will take things personally. They may brood over how they were treated or how they were spoken to more than a non-sensitive child.
You may also notice your child may be sensitive to bright light. This is one of the signs not to be missed too!
Intuitive
Sensitive children can be more intuitive as they process information more thoroughly. Since they are more perceptive towards their environments and surroundings, they can act conscientiously.
Empathetic
Since highly sensitive children are more perceptive to the emotions of people around them, they develop empathy faster than other children. They process social cues, tone of voice, facial expressions and emotions in a more in-depth manner.
Surprises
Sensitive children generally dislike big surprises, even good ones. This could be because the surprise may disrupt their environment or safe space, making them feel emotionally unsafe or imbalanced.
Thoughtful Questions
If your child constantly asks you deep questions that seem too mature for their age, they may be sensitive. Children who ask thoughtful questions want to understand their environment, family members or friends better. These questions may also help them to cope with emotions they don’t understand.
8 Ways to Parent a Sensitive Child
Choosing the right strategy on how to parent a highly sensitive child can help the parent to manage their child’s emotional needs and development. Parents need to put in the effort to explore different strategies to fit their children.
Here are 8 ways to help parents be supportive of their sensitive child.
Reward
Give a spin towards simple everyday instructions to avoid the child feeling like they can get in trouble.
Simple instructions like “You can’t play with toys till you finish your homework” can be changed to “You can play with any toys you want after you have worked on your homework”.
This simple change in phrasing can help reduce a sensitive child’s anxiety and make them calm to work on what they need to.
Provide other rewards to celebrate achievements or milestones that are noteworthy for the child.
Sensitive children can feel unappreciated or left out easily so it’s good for parents to gauge when they need to use a reward to encourage the child.
Accept the Child
A sensitive child requires understanding and acceptance from their parents.
There should be no negative attachment to the way they function and parents should be the ones to adapt their life or parenting style to the child.
Once the child feels accepted, loved and supported for who they are, this will develop a strong sense of personal confidence.
Downtime
Providing downtime for an overstimulated child can help to calm their nervous system.
Try not to overwhelm the child with too many activities in a day as this can be too much for them to process.
Create a safe space or quiet corner in your home so they have a place they can go to destress and recharge their senses.
Verbalising
Sometimes sensitive children may lack the skills to express their emotions so teaching them the right words to verbalize can help them.
Generally, sensitive children prefer to show their parents how they are feeling through their behaviour but this can change if they know the right way to verbally express what they are feeling.
This can help them deal with upset emotions in a public setting.
Limits
Most parents would prefer to not upset a highly sensitive child but this doesn’t mean that the child can do or say whatever they want. This can lead to the child being spoilt and having bad behaviour.
It’s healthy to set limits and boundaries for children. You can do so calmly and happily so the child understands that these rules are set for their benefit.
Show the child that you can be flexible when the time calls for it but be firm with the limits so they can be followed and respected.
Logical Consequences
Just like other children, sensitive children will need to experience consequences for their actions.
As parents, the main objective of using consequences is to discipline the child. There should not be any emotions attached when instructing the child to face the consequence.
A sensitive can be scarred from unfair consequences and it’s always best to calmly explain why consequences are important.
Praise
Praising your sensitive child is a good way to encourage their efforts, even if they fail. Encouraging the child’s effort regardless of the outcome can help the child to appreciate the value of hard work.
It’s important to not overly praise the child as this may lower their self-esteem. The child might then think they require constant praise to validate their work.
Problem-Solving
Teaching sensitive children how to problem-solve can help a sensitive child to deal with being overwhelmed. Sometimes sensitive children may not know how to process or respond to a social situation they find uncomfortable.
Educating the child about problem-solving can help them to search for a solution in these situations and will help the sensitive child gain confidence and handle difficult situations.
Super Kids Club
Searching for a way to get your child to engage in educational activities?
Motherhood’s Super Kids Club is perfect for this!
This membership program is designed for young children to learn STEAM-based subjects with experienced educators while having fun. The weekly online workshops are tailored to get your child to learn and engage with other children.
Members of the Super Kids Club will also get unlimited access to downloadable printable activity sheets and educational video content.
New members can now redeem a 1-Day Kids Go Free Legoland voucher and a free Super Kids activity box.
Parents may also look forward to monthly vouchers or discounts from Motherhood’s sponsors.
The Importance of Recognising and Nurturing a Sensitive Child
Sensitive children may encounter distinctive difficulties, but they can flourish and achieve their maximum potential with appropriate parenting strategies.
Parents need to acknowledge and comprehend their child’s sensitivity and tailor their parenting techniques to suit their child’s requirements.
This may include providing emotional support, establishing a predictable and structured setting, or discovering methods to assist their child in managing sensory input.
By doing so, parents can aid their sensitive children in developing effective coping mechanisms to navigate their surroundings and establish healthy self-esteem.
With patience, empathy, and a deliberate parenting approach, sensitive children can mature into self-assured and resilient individuals.
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