by InspiredWritingResearch

Created on: January 02, 2011   Last Updated: January 04, 2011

Tips for raising a sensitive child can help parents to spot the signs of over-sensitivity, shyness or potential low self esteem in young children very early on. This can help parents with sensitive children to step in early with positive encouraging strategies to help their children communicate and engage socially with  peers. Their new found self-esteem will enable them to feel happier in new situations and to get the most out of their school and leisure time. One of the tips for raising a sensitive child involves helping a baby or toddler to overcome dissociative behavior. For example, it is normal for babies to enjoy mimicking hellos and goodbyes, and to enjoy the praise for waving  as they become toddlers. Reluctance to do this, turning the head away, distress or even crying may signal that a baby may be overly sensitive, or even be susceptible to communication difficulties such as autism. At this point it wise to observe such concerns and report them to professionals such as health visitors, so that an overly sensitive or shy toddler can be monitored and investigated if necessary.

Another tip for raising sensitive children through their junior school years is to help them to face up to their sensitivity and to learn to handle it so that they don't run away from the fun of lessons, sports and parties. Gentle persuasion and encouragement to engage for a little while is important because this eventually builds confidence and self esteem. Success breeds success.

Sometimes children become overcome with shyness as they enter the sensitive teen years. Tips to help older children who are over sensitive include getting them to face and handle their shyness in small ways. Parents need to explain that if kids  want to be good with people, they just need to practice a little every day. A good tip is to encourage children to  try to make just one contribution to peer conversations - perhaps at the end. They could try to ask a question at a quiet point  of a lesson or  putting a hand up during class for easy questions they know the answer to Sensitive children need a little practice at this before tackling social situations where there are  new faces. Sensitive children can easily learn how to take the heat off themselves in social situations by  asking people about themselves and getting them chatting. 

Tips for raising a sensitive child also include helping him to see that being knocked back is a normal occurrence experienced by everyone at different times. It's all all about helping kids to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and try again next time.  If this proves worryingly distressing, then a little counselling or assertiveness therapy for sensitive children may do the trick.

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