Empowering Sensitive Children to Overcome Shame
Highly sensitive children are often shamed for their sensitivities. They grow up believing there’s something wrong with them. In The Highly Sensitive Rabbit you’ll see how being sensitive is a creative talent that needs to be nurtured.
If you’re the parent of a sensitive child, it’s important to support their sensitivities and help them embrace their abilities. This will help them feel comfortable in their own skin now and as they mature into sensitive adults.
As a psychiatrist who was also a highly sensitive child, I know firsthand how shame can cloud one’s self-worth. I remember my mother saying in front of her friends, “Judith, you need to toughen up and get a thicker skin. You’ll never survive in this world otherwise.” That one comment made me want to disappear. When children are shamed, especially in front of others, it can stick in their psyche and follow them into adulthood—affecting their confidence, relationships, and sense of identity.
Sensitive children are particularly vulnerable to internalizing shame. They may be teased for crying, for preferring quiet play, or for reacting strongly to perceived slights. Many feel like they don’t fit in. Take Aurora, the courageous heroine in my book The Highly Sensitive Rabbit. She is left out of games, teased for being quiet and “too emotional.” Like many sensitive children, Aurora starts to believe the negative messages she receives from others—until she learns that her sensitivity is actually her strength.
Learn Tips for Parents to Help Their Highly Sensitive Child Overcome Shame