Elena Jinkins - Parenting the Highly Sensitive Child: Effective Parenting Strategies to Unlock the Full Potential of

Parenting The Highly Sensitive Child:

Effective Parenting Strategies

to Unlock the full potential of Your Childs gift and thrive in an overwhelming world

ELENA JENKINS

Introduction

A

s many parents do, Ann and Mark assumed that taking their young son Carl to the newly opened theme park would be a great surprise for his 4th birthday. Festive colors, fun games, exhilarating rideswhat more could a child ask for? Sure, there may be many people there, and coupled with the heat of the summer, it might become a little uncomfortable at some point.

Still, they believed that the pros outweighed the cons. The special birthday plan pushed through.

Carl, unfortunately, did not appreciate the surprise. He stood frozen for a bit as he tried to get a grasp of what was going on, strangers here and there, loud noises seemingly from everywhere. The roller coaster with its screaming passengers frightened him, as well as the gigantic tiger mascot with its flashy jumper.

Ann and Mark thought that Carl only needed a bit of persuasion. After all, some of their treasured memories as kids involved themed parks and carnivals.

Eventually, Carl felt bad about making a fuss, so he gave in. He tried his best to find things that he could enjoy and appreciate. Unfortunately, the heat was getting to him, and his feet were starting to hurt because of his new sneakers.

And so, somewhere in the middle of the themed park, Carl just stopped walking, and tears sprang from his eyes. He couldnt stop itnobody could. Carl felt awful and helpless, and he couldnt explain why when his parents kept asking what was wrong.

What was supposed to be a fun-filled birthday turned into a stressful incident that neither Carl nor his parents would easily forget.

Has anything similar ever happened to you and your child?

Do you think your child cries or startles more easily than the other kids you know?

Is your child picky when it comes to their food, clothes, hobbies, or even the blanket they use at night?

Can your child quickly notice that something has changed in the way you dress or the way you arrange the house?

If you find yourself nodding to someif not allof these questions, then you probably have a highly sensitive child.

Though parenting involves some trial and error, you dont have to be like Ann and Mark, who realized this a little too late.

This book is going to prevent you from unwittingly exposing your highly sensitive child to situations that are distressful and overwhelming for them. It shall also prevent you from misunderstanding what high sensitivity means in the first place and why you should adopt certain parenting strategies that have been proven to work well with highly sensitive children.

Since you have picked my book to serve as your guide, you are already on the right track towards becoming the ideal parent for your highly sensitive child. Im confident that my years of experience in raising a child gifted with high sensitivity would greatly help you. Like you, I took the time to understand my child better and figure out how to best fulfill his needs and wants. Along the way, I also learned that my goal as a parent isnt to mold my child into what I thought was good or right. And now, through this book, I hope that other parents would also understand and accept this.

How are we going to reach such goals together?

Across different chapters, I will explain carefully to you what high sensitivity truly means. You will also get to know the various ways in how you could help your child cope with different challenges in their day-to-day lifemay it be in your home, with their friends, or even at school. By the end of it, you will feel empowered to raise a highly sensitive child and guide them into becoming a healthy, happy, and successful individual.

No more misconceptions or wrong approaches. No more unnecessary tears or traumatic experiences. Read through each chapter of this book, and I will show you how you can be the best parent for your highly sensitive child.

Dont jump to the conclusion that something is wrong with being highly sensitive, though. Yes, it can be challenging for both the children and their parents. It may impose limitations that other kids do not have to live with. However, if you think about it, the same applies to other qualities that are perceived by many as normal, such as being introverted or having a low aptitude for arts and craft projects.

As repeatedly emphasized by numerous child development experts, such as Dr. Elaine Aron and Professor Michael Pluess, high sensitivity is a personality trait that 1 in 5 individuals may have. It is not a mental disorder that requires treatment or medication. It is not something that should be changed or forced out of your childs system.

The numerous parenting tips and strategies shared in this book are backed by these objective research studies, as well as my experience as a parent to a highly sensitive child like yours. Though not everything is guaranteed to work because each highly sensitive child has unique needs and personalities, try to apply the advice and tips shared in this book, and see which ones would work best for your child.

Dont try to overthink this and assume that traditional parenting methods would work on highly sensitive children, too. Going the extra mile for your kid would be worth all your time and effort once you see them growing up to their full potential and making the most of the opportunities they receive along the way.

Through this book, you will be guided at every step of the way. You will no longer find yourself second-guessing if your parenting strategies are beneficial for your highly sensitive child. You likely wont be in a dreadful situation like Ann and Mark, nor will your child have to repeatedly suffer from overwhelming experiences as Carl did.

Thank you for choosing this book! I cant wait to share with you everything I know about raising a highly sensitive child the right way. Remember to take notes as you read, and feel free to share them with me in your review of this book afterward.

Part 1:
Recognizing Traits and Misconceptions

Chapter 1:
Highly Sensitive Child Traits