How to discipline a sensitive child

As all parents know, no two children are the same.Given the diversity of personalities and temperaments, parenting requires adapting to the needs of each individual child by finding the most effective ways to encourage certain behaviors and discourage others. is also true if you have sensitive childrena person who feels emotions (both good and bad) very strongly.

Train highly sensitive children to consider the intensity of their emotions You may feel particularly anxious because it could start yet another emotional roller coaster. However, this sensitivity does not mean that discipline should be avoided or that their emotions matter. It means that it may be necessary.

Signs you have a sensitive child

sensitive child Feeling emotions more intensely than usual. Signs of a sensitive child Crying easily, worrying about getting into trouble, mood swings, being overexcited or extremely angry, Or be very upset.

Some additional signs include rapidly escalating emotions, a much greater than expected reaction to problems, and difficulty talking about emotions. “Another sign is if your child responds very differently to your parenting methods than other children,” said Jami Dumler, a licensed clinical social worker. Thrive Works.

If you have a sensitive child, it’s important to remember that these feelings can make parenting more difficult. It doesn’t mean that you are a bad parent or that they are bad children. “Sensitive, deeply emotional children tend to really challenge status quo parenting approaches, and can sometimes seem like they have a lot of trouble acting out,” Dumler said. Underlying it is their deep emotion and sensitivity, and remembering that they just need a different approach will help you stay on your feet during difficult times.”

How to discipline a sensitive child

As a verywell family adviseit is not a good idea to avoid discipline out of fear of a sensitive child’s reaction. Note, “Failure to discipline deprives sensitive children of the opportunity to learn and grow by experiencing the consequences of their actions, which is essential for healthy development.” There are some additional strategies to keep in mind when doing so. One of them is to keep in mind that your emotions are running high and adjust accordingly.

Damler recommends trying to approach this with empathy and curiosity, and talking about feelings and behaviors in small steps. [sensitive] Children often have a hard time talking about their emotions and trying to calm them down. Rather than trying to teach or process moments like this, it’s important to model and work on calming approaches during emotional outbursts,” he said. . “When your child calms down, Then you can teach them coping skills, talk through understanding what triggered their emotions, and teach them better solutions to problem solving. ’ However, it takes a while to get into that calm state.

In the meantime, it is also very important not to dismiss this sensitivity or speak negatively about the heightened reaction. Emotions stronger than others.

“Parents want to avoid using negative words like ‘Actions that demand attention And a statement of condemnation,” Dumler said. “Yelling, getting annoyed, Time-outs with sensitive children often don’t work, sending the message that they have too many emotions and need to deal with them themselves. “

A few Additional Strategy Establish clear boundaries, teach them to talk about their feelings, praise their efforts, teach them how to solve problems when frustrated, use logical outcomes, and offer a lot of downs. Helps keep them from feeling overwhelmed.