Top 5 Resources for Highly Sensitive Kids
Too loud! Too scratchy! Too spicy! Too much! Perhaps your child doesn’t articulate it in this exact way, but if these sentiments sound familiar in your household, you might be the lucky parent of a Highly Sensitive Child. These children represent about 20% of the population and can often be identified through their acute awareness of the environment, their inquisitive natures, their boundless creativity, and their deep empathy. Read on for tips on helping your sensitive child to thrive in a fast-paced world.
HSP Child Self Test
This is a great starting point for gaining the tools and knowledge to support highly sensitive little ones. The test is created for parents to complete for their children. You can also explore links to additional support, resources, and relevant research.
The Work of Elaine Aron
Psychologist Elaine Aron coined the term “highly sensitive person” in 1996 when she argued that sensitive brains are uniquely wired to process their environment at a deep level. In her writing, Aron asserts that physical and emotional sensitivity are one and the same. Her research on the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is a goldmine of support for parents of highly sensitive children — and many of us may discover that we turn out to be HSPs ourselves!
Find her book on children here!
Seven Specific Tools to Support Your Highly Sensitive Child
This helpful blog post from PBS kids provides an overview of seven specific and impactful ways to support sensitive children. It is written by Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, a pediatric psychologist and parenting coach. We specifically resonated with the focus on cultivating connections and supporting the emotional well-being of the child. And Dr. Lockhart does a great job in this article of addressing the needs of the parents! Highly sensitive children often have highly sensitive parents. For many parents, this may mean gently breaking old habits and patterns – and reparenting yourself as you parent your child.
“Unschooling” for Highly Sensitive Kids
This post by Anne Ohman, parent to a highly sensitive child as well as a highly sensitive person herself, is a great resource for creating an environment that allows highly sensitive children to thrive. For Anne, this meant unschooling! In the post, she provides specific examples and experiences from her own life, as well as challenges and solutions that have come up for her own family along the way.
Self-Regulation (for kids and parents)
Since a highly active nervous system goes part and parcel with the highly sensitive personality type, teaching self-regulation is key. This is true not only for the highly sensitive child, but also for the parents of the highly sensitive child. The moods and emotional responses of others can be particularly impactful for little ones with sensory-processing sensitivity. Therefore, we have a unique opportunity in parenting. When we exhibit fine-tuned skills around our own ability to self regulate, we are not simply modeling the behavior for our children — we are also helping create a stable, safe environment that supports nervous system regulation. Candy Crawford, a therapist, educator, and advocate for highly sensitive individuals, shares some excellent insights in this blog post.
Stories for the Sensitive Child
At Sparkle Stories, we believe that stories are one of the most powerful tools for helping children feel seen — and for giving them language to understand their own rich inner world. The stories below feature sensitive characters navigating big feelings, overwhelming moments, and the beautiful complexity of being wired to feel deeply. We hope they offer comfort, connection, and maybe even a little magic for your little one.
Leo the Hermit Crab
Leo the hermit crab feel uncomfortable in his too tight shell, and when it finally breaks his family quickly take action to get…
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The Crystal Gnome
Overwhelmed by bright lights and loud sounds, the crystal gnome learns how to make a home among the sights and sounds that intrigue…
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Seamus O’Conner: Dry Gables School Teacher (and Dreamer)
Seamus O’Conner is the elementary school teacher of Dry gables, and as a lifelong “dreamer” he sometimes find it hard to be his…
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Part Two: Collecting Feelings
Libby’s grandmother loves the sound of a “Feel Guide” — she suggests that they write the book themselves.
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Fluffs the Worried Squirrel
Fluffs the squirrel is worried about the people who are building homes near his forest but he soon learns that living near humans…
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Fairy Whispers
Gibb the turkey learns to embrace his sensitivity for the good of his flock.
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Animal Games
Martin & Sylvia help a sensitive friend cope with an overwhelming event…
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Ubi the Unicorn Filly
What to do with a bright and sensitive young unicorn who asks big questions at bedtime?
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Introduction Part Two: Adventure Checklist
Libby uses her special comfort items to prepare for an adventure in the city.
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Looking for more stories to help support your sensitive child? We encourage you to check out these collections here:
Stories for the Sensitive Child
Libby & Dish: The Feel Guide
Life with a highly sensitive child can be an adventure full of richness and delight. We hope this information and these stories will help you to parent your little one as they grow strong and mighty in their special sensory gifts!
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About the authors
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Jessica Pounds and Leroy Copeland
Musical ContributorsWith over 45 years of combined experience as performing musicians and songwriters, Jessica Pounds and Leroy Copeland are also Musical Contributors for Sparkle Stories. Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, the duo have been performing and recording regularly since their teenage years. Their paths crossed (onstage!) in early 2019, and the rest is history. You can keep up with their latest releases on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jessicapoundsmusic “Jessica Pounds Music Instagram”).
