How to Help a Highly Sensitive Child
Give your child a peaceful and calm place to recharge., Find other highly sensitive children for your child to play with., Choose a different way of disciplining your child., Consider getting a service animal or calm pet.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give your child a peaceful and calm place to recharge.
Highly sensitive kids need time to settle down and regroup.
They also tend to be quite shy, so they usually need some alone time.
Create a space in your home that offers a quiet, safe place where they can relax and feel comfortable.
Since highly sensitive children like soft surroundings, fill the space with pillows and blankets that are smooth and comforting.
Soothing colors can be helpful.
Also, make the area away from the loud parts of your home, as sensitive children are overwhelmed by noise and commotion. -
Step 2: Find other highly sensitive children for your child to play with.
Children who are prone to feeling emotion more than others want to know they aren’t alone.
They also typically get along quite well with others who are just like them, as they are generally more in tune with each other’s feelings and may be more sensitive to each other’s needs.
Giving them time to play with others who are like them may help them to be more accepting of their feelings, and learn that it’s OK to just be themselves.
Looking for children who are like your child may take a bit of effort, but it will be well worth it.
Observe the children your child goes to school with, and attempt to set up a play date with the parents of the child who is like yours.
You might say, “It’s hard for me to find other children who play like Katie.
Do you want to set up a play date for the two of them?” You can also ask your child’s teacher if there are any other children who are highly sensitive that your child may get along with, and then organize a playdate with their parents.Try to keep playdates within a short time frame and make sure that you listen and watch for clues that they are running low on energy.
Also, keep in mind that even after these kind of play dates, sensitive children will still need to have that "down time" to rejuvenate themselves. , All children need discipline, even those that are highly sensitive.
However, these children often respond to traditional discipline more severely than typical children do.
You’ll likely find that discipline such as yelling, spanking, and putting them in time out often creates the very behavior you want to avoid: temper tantrums, screaming, and crying.
Choose a more gentle, yet effective, punishment for bad behavior.
Talk to your child about the type of behavior you expect before the situation escalates.
For instance, before you go into a store, tell your child how you want them to act.
You might say, “You will stay with mommy the whole time, and not wander off by yourself.
Okay?” If they don’t comply, remind them that you both discussed the situation before and that they agreed to behave properly.
Highly sensitive children usually respond better when they are in a partnership with their parents, rather than feeling like they are alone in the situation., Having a well-trained calm pet can also help your sensitive child.
If your child is not allergic to cats or dogs, then consider getting one to help your child feel calm.
Check your local shelter to see if they have any calm dogs or cats that might make a good companion for your child.
However, keep in mind that caring for a pet can be expensive and time consuming.
You will need to be willing and able to care for the pet for its entire life, which can be anywhere from 10 to 20 years. -
Step 3: Choose a different way of disciplining your child.
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Step 4: Consider getting a service animal or calm pet.
Detailed Guide
Highly sensitive kids need time to settle down and regroup.
They also tend to be quite shy, so they usually need some alone time.
Create a space in your home that offers a quiet, safe place where they can relax and feel comfortable.
Since highly sensitive children like soft surroundings, fill the space with pillows and blankets that are smooth and comforting.
Soothing colors can be helpful.
Also, make the area away from the loud parts of your home, as sensitive children are overwhelmed by noise and commotion.
Children who are prone to feeling emotion more than others want to know they aren’t alone.
They also typically get along quite well with others who are just like them, as they are generally more in tune with each other’s feelings and may be more sensitive to each other’s needs.
Giving them time to play with others who are like them may help them to be more accepting of their feelings, and learn that it’s OK to just be themselves.
Looking for children who are like your child may take a bit of effort, but it will be well worth it.
Observe the children your child goes to school with, and attempt to set up a play date with the parents of the child who is like yours.
You might say, “It’s hard for me to find other children who play like Katie.
Do you want to set up a play date for the two of them?” You can also ask your child’s teacher if there are any other children who are highly sensitive that your child may get along with, and then organize a playdate with their parents.Try to keep playdates within a short time frame and make sure that you listen and watch for clues that they are running low on energy.
Also, keep in mind that even after these kind of play dates, sensitive children will still need to have that "down time" to rejuvenate themselves. , All children need discipline, even those that are highly sensitive.
However, these children often respond to traditional discipline more severely than typical children do.
You’ll likely find that discipline such as yelling, spanking, and putting them in time out often creates the very behavior you want to avoid: temper tantrums, screaming, and crying.
Choose a more gentle, yet effective, punishment for bad behavior.
Talk to your child about the type of behavior you expect before the situation escalates.
For instance, before you go into a store, tell your child how you want them to act.
You might say, “You will stay with mommy the whole time, and not wander off by yourself.
Okay?” If they don’t comply, remind them that you both discussed the situation before and that they agreed to behave properly.
Highly sensitive children usually respond better when they are in a partnership with their parents, rather than feeling like they are alone in the situation., Having a well-trained calm pet can also help your sensitive child.
If your child is not allergic to cats or dogs, then consider getting one to help your child feel calm.
Check your local shelter to see if they have any calm dogs or cats that might make a good companion for your child.
However, keep in mind that caring for a pet can be expensive and time consuming.
You will need to be willing and able to care for the pet for its entire life, which can be anywhere from 10 to 20 years.
About the Author
Paul Burns
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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