Successfully Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child

The Challenges of Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child:

Parenting a highly sensitive child with big emotions can be physically and emotionally exhausting. I know this because I have one.  From being the preferred caregiver, to the intensity of their emotions, their heightened sensitivity to external stimuli, and their deep empathy can present unique challenges. It's essential to acknowledge and address these challenges with strategies that promote a harmonious parent-child relationship.

1.  Recognize and Validate Emotions: Highly sensitive children experience emotions more intensely than their peers. As a parent, it's crucial to recognize and validate their feelings. This includes actively listening, empathizing, and avoiding dismissing or minimizing their emotions. Validating their experiences helps them feel understood and builds trust.
2.  Establish Calm and Consistent Routines: Creating predictable and structured routines provides a sense of security for highly sensitive children. Establish regular mealtimes, bedtime routines, and consistent rules to reduce anxiety and overwhelm. Clearly communicate expectations and be flexible when needed, but strive to maintain consistency to provide a stable foundation.  Bedtime and morning charts can be a good way to establish consistency and predictability 
3. :Create a Safe and Nurturing Environment: Highly sensitive children thrive in an environment that feels safe and nurturing. Minimize sensory overload by creating quiet spaces, reducing clutter, and providing opportunities for solitude when needed. Offer comforting items like soft blankets or favorite toys. Foster open communication and establish trust, allowing your child to express themselves freely.  Creating a calm space in their room or another safe area of the house can be a great way to do this.
4. Teach Emotional Regulation Techniques: Helping your highly sensitive child develop effective emotional regulation skills can enhance their ability to navigate challenging situations. Teach deep breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques, or guided imagery to help them calm down when overwhelmed. Encourage the use of verbal expression, drawing, or journaling as outlets for emotional release.  One of my favourite strategies is asking them how big their emotion is and we could work together to make the "mad" smaller?
5.  Prioritize Self-Care for Yourself and Your Child: Parenting a highly sensitive child requires taking care of your own well-being as well. Prioritize self-care by finding time for relaxation, engaging in activities you enjoy, and seeking support from your partner, family, or friends.  Even if you have an hour, 30 minutes, whatever time you have.  Take this time to intentionally calm your mind and body.  Encourage your child to practice self-care as well by engaging in activities that help them recharge, such as reading, drawing, or spending time in nature.

Parenting a highly sensitive child with big emotions can be demanding, but with the right strategies, it can also be immensely rewarding. Recognize and validate your child's emotions, establish calm routines, create a safe environment, teach emotional regulation techniques, and prioritize self-care. By implementing these strategies, you can navigate the challenges more easily and build a strong and nurturing bond with your child.

Make sure to check out our course Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child where we will give you:

• We will help you identify whether your child is Highly Sensitive and where on the spectrum of sensitivity they are
• Develop an understanding of what sensory stimuli sets them off and what can soothe them
• Develop concrete and actionable strategies that actually work (not just validating the feeling)
• How to create meaningful connection with your child 
• How to teach your child emotional regulation that will help them throughout their life
• Develop the confidence to know how to help your highly sensitive child