5 tips to support highly sensitive children in daily life

Have you noticed if your child is highly sensitive?

Or maybe as an educator, you suspect some of the children in your group are quite sensitive?

Highly sensitive children need a little extra support because various things that seem normal to others can overwhelm them.

It would be good to figure out if your child seems to express signs that they are highly sensitive. As a mum or an educator, you will notice the subtle signals.

The tips below might be of help not just for sensitive kids but for all kids. As a parent or an educator, it is always your call to do what is right for your child in a particular situation. Just some simple tips for you that might make your life a tad bit easier:

1. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. Rushing and doing a lot of things in a short amount of time can be extremely overwhelming for them. Instead, start teaching them to manage time that suits their pace. Sometimes, less is more.

2. 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲. Kids are extra sensitive to pain and wired for self-protection. What can seem like overreacting to adults can actually be very painful or uncomfortable for them. By allowing your child to express their emotions safely at the moment, you teach them that it's okay to feel and feelings are safe. Giving them assurance that you are there for them and with them through the emotional experience is all they need to hear from you.

3. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲: Chill and calm time is essential for all ages. Rest time gives an opportunity for the body including the nervous system to reset, consolidate and integrate all learning and discoveries that happened during wake time. Rest is integral for sustainable growth.

4. 𝐒𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦. As a mum, I get it; a tantrum could look messy and might evoke embarrassment if it happens in public. Even though I studied and worked with children therapeutically, it wasn't until dealing with my child's tantrum that I got to heal and put the knowledge into practice. I finally understood that my child's tantrum didn't mean anything about me, she was trying to communicate to me that "This is too much, I'm upset, angry, sad, scared and overwhelmed. I don't know what to do. I'm exploding inside. I can't hold this anymore, I need to let the steam out."

A tantrum is a natural outburst of emotions including the expression of anger, grief and letting go. The child's little brain and body try their best to "let out steam" so they can come back to the parasympathetic state of their nervous system. The easier their emotions flow, the healthier the child will be psychologically. In the end, just let your child know that you love them no matter what and be open for further discussion later.

5. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬. Most often, I see in my children clients that they have sensory overload. So I ask them for their preference: how much light would they like, do they prefer soft or loud music, do they find skin-to-skin contact relaxing or "ew", what would they find soothing, etc. I respect their threshold and work on reducing overload in their sensory processing. Then I discuss with their parent how they can create an environment at home that respect and support the child's unique needs.

Did these tips give you new insight?

If you’re a mum with a highly sensitive child, what have you found helpful for him/her?

Feeling overwhelmed yourself? Feel free to drop me a note on daisy@sustainablelifestyle.me and we can chat about how to support you and your beautiful child/children.

Much love, Daisy

Daisy Ramsden