If you’re the parent of a highly sensitive child (HSC), you may wonder, “What daily interventions help a highly sensitive child thrive at school?” This is especially true if your little one has big feelings or is sensory sensitive. According to psychologist, Elaine Aron, roughly 1 in 5 children are highly sensitive.
Sending your deeply feeling kiddo off to school can feel a little like sending a lamb into a den of lions. It’s loud, hectic, and sometimes overwhelming, even for adults. I completely understand this, and as a parent of a highly sensitive kiddo, I can offer advice that works.
You’ll learn about how important it is to understand that–because your HSC’s nervous system is a bit like a high-powered antenna, constantly absorbing stimulation– even a regular school day can feel like a sensory overload.
So, what daily interventions help a highly sensitive child thrive at school? I get it moms, navigating the school system with a highly sensitive child can be challenging. Teachers often have overflowing classrooms with varied personalities and learning styles.
This learning environment can make individual attention tricky. They’re trying to cover material and make sure everyone passes the standardized tests. You know, the tests that seem to ignore the emotional and social complexities of a sensitive little soul?
But even in our very-much-not-perfect educational system, small changes can make a world of difference. It just takes understanding from you, and some collaborative discussion with the school. Let’s dive into what really helps highly sensitive children thrive in a school setting.
Sensitive kids often have their ‘spidey senses’ on high alert. Even minor shifts in the environment or unexpected disruptions can impact their mood or behavior. With this in mind, we know consistency in a school setting matters.
In order to support highly sensitive children, we need to minimize unpredictable shifts and changes so a highly sensitive kid doesn’t experience sensory or emotional overload.
First things first, having a calming area in the classroom can work wonders. The perfect calm down area isn’t one size fits all. It should be personalized. This means having a menu of sensory calming items.
Some kiddos might find a weighted lap pad comforting while another prefers wearing noise canceling headphones for some quiet time. Having a designated “sanctuary” will let your little one find refuge from chaos when the classroom becomes overwhelming.
Also, consider how seating arrangements can help minimize overstimulation. Some HSCs thrive sitting in the front row. That’s where distractions are less. Others may find comfort towards the side, surrounded by classmates they’re close to. This may provide emotional comfort. Finding the “sweet spot” will reduce distraction.
Predictable transitions for sensitive students can make all the difference. If your HSC prefers to get situated a few minutes before class, consider dropping them off a bit early to minimize the stress of rushing. Also, consider if your child does better transitioning solo or needs a little support to get into a new setting or group.
A quick discussion with the teacher about their nervous system (and letting her know he’s probably not being defiant when he doesn’t want to be next to a child.) can really help.
Being mindful of verbal and non-verbal cues in the classroom can make a significant difference. If a teacher routinely shouts or makes sarcastic comments, the HSP child’s sensitivity radar goes off. They may absorb that negative energy, which might impact how they feel for the rest of the day. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, and even physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches.
On the other hand, when teachers model positive behavior and express their emotions in a healthy way, HSPs are more likely to do the same. This can help them develop emotional regulation skills, build confidence, and form stronger relationships with their peers and teachers. By creating a positive and supportive classroom environment, teachers can help HSPs thrive and reach their full potential.
If you have a sensitive child at school, it’s critical to remember traditional learning styles don’t always align with sensitive children’s needs. This can create stress. Think about what alternatives might be more in alignment.
A timed math quiz or oral presentation to a classroom full of kids is more likely to make a highly sensitive person freeze or flounder. It’s not that your highly sensitive little guy doesn’t love math or has nothing to say, his system just gets overwhelmed. You’ve likely been there when asking him to read out loud, so talk with the school about this. You can request accommodations for your child.
The perfect school environment would celebrate a highly sensitive child’s creativity and individual needs. However, school can never truly be that place. They often operate under budgetary restraints and teacher shortages. Sometimes, it may just be us parents to create that special “downtime sanctuary” at home.
Communicate with your child’s teacher about their specific sensitivities. This will ensure the teacher is able to minimize overwhelm. A child spends so much time in school, and knowing they have an adult who will support them can mean everything.
Try and create opportunities to explore what brings your child a feeling of calm and let them learn their nervous system. That way, they’re set up to figure out what works best as they get older.
You can even say to them, “Hey, why don’t you try doing a few stretches before that math quiz, or maybe see how a few slow breaths help. You’re figuring out how powerful your body is. ” It may just turn into one of those highly sensitive superpowers that can be challenging at first.
Be kind and understanding. If you’re responding with love and compassion instead of a demand that he calm down “right this minute”, his nervous system is more likely to receive this. If you’re yelling that “You’re out of control.” it just might make things worse.
What daily interventions help a highly sensitive child thrive at school? I know from my personal experience that even seemingly small changes can make a significant impact. Communicating with their teachers, creating calm corners, and finding specific strategies that work for them can be very impactful.
You have likely already seen how empathetic, observant, creative, and sensitive they are–qualities you want to nurture. Even though this may make things a bit tougher for us at first, it means those kids are going to use those exact sensitivities to be those incredibly intuitive, deep feeling people that society actually really needs.
What Daily Interventions Help a Highly Sensitive Child Thrive At School?
Jill Gilbert
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