Dear Mother Of a Highly Sensitive Child, I See You

Dear mother of a highly sensitive child, I want you to know that you are not alone. If your child is sitting on the sidelines or having a breakdown after school, I know how you feel. It is difficult to raise a highly sensitive child in this harsh world. People find it difficult to understand your child and his or her behavior. You struggle to defend your child against the people who find him or her difficult, spoiled, rebellious, or weak. 

Your feelings of guilt are normal.
There will be days when you lose your temper and days when you feel like a terrible mother. Are you doing what is best for your child? Will he make it today? Does he have someone to play with during recess today? The fact that you are asking yourself these questions shows that you are a great parent. Your child is blessed with such a sweet mother.

You are insecure because you don’t know when the next eruption will happen.
Will it be too busy and chaotic on that birthday? Will he or she have a breakdown after Easter breakfast at school? When your highly sensitive child gets scared or frustrated, you are the one who has to pay the price. You are the outlet because your child feels safest with you. He feels your unconditional love and knows that you will never judge him.

Getting dressed is a challenge
I know the frustration when you try to help your child get dressed in the morning. Clothing that your child finds too tight, that itches or that just feels wrong. It can be so difficult to understand, and yet you do your best to help your son or daughter through a struggle that feels so real to him or her.

Also Read: Dealing with highly sensitive children: 3 tips

I understand the intense emotions you feel every day.
Your patience also sometimes runs out when you are woken up in the middle of the night again because your child cannot sleep. You try to calm and reassure your child, but they need your presence to feel safe. 

I understand how your heart breaks.
I understand how your heart breaks when your child does not dare to let you go in a playground or at a birthday party while other children play together without a care in the world. The jealousy you feel when you see other mothers having a nice chat while their children are playing. Why do their children play so happily with each other and why does your child prefer to crawl into you out of fear?

I see your strength
I see your strength as you help your child find his or her way in a world that overstimulates and overwhelms his or her sensitive soul. How you tirelessly try to explain to teachers that your child is different and that you do everything you can to make sure they understand your child. How good you feel when people understand you and how angry it makes you when people don’t want to listen.

Also Read: 5 Things you as a parent should never say to your children

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I see the struggle, but I also see the joy and happiness
The world may see a difficult child, but a mother sees strength. I feel your joy when your child finds a friend with whom he/she has a connection and you see what a fantastic friend your child is.

I see you bursting with pride when they do something that other mothers find completely normal. Like when your child has had a birthday party without becoming completely overstimulated. 

Your child knows that you love him or her and that you will always be there. You are his voice when he can’t find the words. His strength when he is not yet brave enough and his rock when he needs to express his emotions. 

Also Read: 5 Things you as a parent should never say to your children

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