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The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them
The bestselling author and psychologist whose books have topped 240,000 copies in print now addresses the trait of “high sensitivity” in children–and offers a breakthrough parenting guidebook for highly sensitive children and their caregivers.
With the publication of The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine Aron became the first person to identify the inborn trait of “high sensi...more
With the publication of The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine Aron became the first person to identify the inborn trait of “high sensi...more
Paperback, 331 pages
Published
October 8th 2002
by Broadway
(first published 2002)
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This is a great book. Really helped me learn how to deal with my son better. There is a test you can take online to see if your child is highly sensitive. (sensitive to sound, touch, light food etc.)
This book will change my Jadelyn's life, I can better cope as her mama and it's giving me insights into my own temperment as well! Thank you Carol!!
Highly sensitive individuals are those born with a tendency to notice more in their environment and deeply reflect on everything before acting, as compared to those who notice less and act quickly and impulsively. As a result sensitive people, both children and adults, tend to be empathic, smart, intuitive, creative, careful, and conscientious (they are aware of the effects of a misdeed, and so are less likely to commit one). They are also more easily overwhelmed by "high volume" or la...more
I'm so happy I found this book! Reading this has helped me understand my son so much better, and at the same time, I've discovered a lot of things about the other members of our family and myself as well. We're all very sensitive (not only emotionally) and reading this book has helped me realize the reason we act the way we do. I hope to be a more compassionate, sensitive mother, so that my children will be able to achieve their potential, with their self-esteem intact, and that our home may be ...more
This is the third time I've checked this book out of the library. The author has plenty of insight into raising a sensitive child, and her discussion of family dynamics is spot on. As a mother of a highly sensitive daughter, I appreciate this resource. The sections on discipline and communicating with teachers are helpful. Some of her recommendations are over the top, though. I am trying to raise a reasonable, flexible kid; so this means not always indulging her preferences. Where the autho...more
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While the book gave me some insight into why my daughter reacts the way she does to certain things, what I really needed was some advice on what to do about it. Specifically how to discipline. I didn't find that here.
Jenny Gruber
added it
This turned out to be a very helpful book. You have to get over the dead-horse beating she does at the beginning regarding how much you should appreciate your HSC, but once you do, there are some helpful, practical analyses and suggestions. (The author says she was an HSC, so that's probably why there's so much time spent on lecturing you to love your child for who he is. Maybe some folks need the reminder, but I figured if I picked up the book in the first place, it was probably a good indic...more
I skimmed this book because I thought it might offer helpful techniques for handling some of my daughter's challenges. I wavered throughout the book on whether she was actually a "Highly Sensitive Child", but regardless thinking about her as highly sensitive does help me to be more empathetic. And that was the most useful part of the book for me -- having a shift in mindset, imagining what it would be like to be so highly attuned to the world that the smallest changes would be upsett...more
Love this book. I don't like the subtitle as much, and I don't really think it reflects Aron's thoughts, but publishers like to have something catchy that sounds problem-solving, so there you go.
If you're not familiar with Aron's work on highly sensitive people: her research indicates that 15-20 percent of the population has an innately more sensitive nervous system. This makes these people more perceptive in their physical senses (sometimes only certain ones), more attuned to nuance a...more
If you're not familiar with Aron's work on highly sensitive people: her research indicates that 15-20 percent of the population has an innately more sensitive nervous system. This makes these people more perceptive in their physical senses (sometimes only certain ones), more attuned to nuance a...more
I am pretty sure that Grae fits into this category of child, but didn't feel that I had the time to read the whole book. I may get it from the library again in the future. Mainly, I just needed to understand Grae a bit better, and I feel that I did gain a better understanding of him reading the portion of the book that I did. A main point that the book discusses that I struggle with is to not feel ashamed of or embarrassed by your sensitive child. Sadly, I sometimes do feel that way, because Gra...more
The author spends a lot of the book defining what she means by "highly sensitive child" -- basically the kind of kids that are slow to warm up in new situations or prone to extreme meltdowns when too much is going on. Of course, I kept thinking "but who isn't??" but my husband assures me it all seems like normal behavior to me because I was slow to warm as well (anyone else cry every day when they had to get on the school bus and not tell your parents?). She emphasizes that w...more
I have a sensitive child who is easily overwhelmed. I have realized that I do not parent him in a way that helps him thrive.
This book did not help me because it told me that for him to thrive, I can never appear to be upset in front of him, never raise my voice, never make him eat anything he doesn't want to, never force him to be in a situation he finds himself uncomfortable in...basically let him live in a totally unrealistic world.
While I found the suggestions to be ...more
This book did not help me because it told me that for him to thrive, I can never appear to be upset in front of him, never raise my voice, never make him eat anything he doesn't want to, never force him to be in a situation he finds himself uncomfortable in...basically let him live in a totally unrealistic world.
While I found the suggestions to be ...more
This book was so reassuring. I understand better why certain situations that are supposed to be "fun" cause my daughter stress and anxiety. Sudden loud noises, an abrupt change in the plan or routine and rooms filled with chaos can all be triggers for tears and behavior that can appear irrational to someone who is not highly sensitive or who has a child who "goes with the flow".
This book is also a valuable back up for parents who are tired of rationalizing the way ...more
This book is also a valuable back up for parents who are tired of rationalizing the way ...more
I found this book to be very helpful in gaining perspective on myself and my highly sensitive child. Most of what I read in the book I knew instinctively, but it was nice to not only have it validated, but to have some information to help me address it with others as well. I always get stuck on what to say to other people - I know what my son needs but it seems to be difficult for others to understand, and I've always had a difficult time explaining it to them. If you're NOT a highly sensitive p...more
I expected this book to actually offer suggestions for helping me cope with my HSC, but it didn't.
When it offers a suggestion at long last, it follows up with, "But this may not work for your child, all children are different." Gee, no kidding. Just give me SOMETHING to go on.
I discovered I was an HSC, too, and am an HSA, and that my son was an HSC, only I was unaware of the concept, and probably "ruined" him.
HSC's need a different type o...more
When it offers a suggestion at long last, it follows up with, "But this may not work for your child, all children are different." Gee, no kidding. Just give me SOMETHING to go on.
I discovered I was an HSC, too, and am an HSA, and that my son was an HSC, only I was unaware of the concept, and probably "ruined" him.
HSC's need a different type o...more
B O R I N G
Very intelligent writer, but man this book put me to sleep night after night. It took me forever to finish because I kept falling asleep. The chapters could be broken up more, perhaps some cliff notes to make it easier to reference back to after reading it would be nice, though I guess thats what my highlighter is for. It did teach me a lot though about being in tune with a child's needs in general. Where was this book when I was a child? Not that my mom wold have read it ...more
Very intelligent writer, but man this book put me to sleep night after night. It took me forever to finish because I kept falling asleep. The chapters could be broken up more, perhaps some cliff notes to make it easier to reference back to after reading it would be nice, though I guess thats what my highlighter is for. It did teach me a lot though about being in tune with a child's needs in general. Where was this book when I was a child? Not that my mom wold have read it ...more
I found this book very helpful. It deals with children with a sensitive "temperament," which the author states is about 15-20% of children. I found defining the temperament rather vague, but can understand why given the many variances humans have in our personalities. I read the book as a way to get parenting ideas on how to deal with a child with specific and intense sensitivities, and I felt it was helpful in this regard. I only skimmed some parts (about infants and teenagers) becaus...more
When I began reading this book I was sceptical. I did not want to label my 7 year old. I knew that t the discipline style my partner and I were using was not working, but was wary of pigeonholing her. But as I read more of Aron's book I found a wealth of compassionate guidance which has allowed me to help a child who is deeply affected by the world around her and is easily overwhelmed.
Aron begins with an questionnaire and overview of what a sensitive child is, what their particular...more
Aron begins with an questionnaire and overview of what a sensitive child is, what their particular...more
So very insightful, personally and professionally as an elementary classroom teacher. This book put into perspective the cause of many behaviors and tendencies I have noticed in certain students. Becoming aware and being able to understand the emotions behind these behaviors has helped me to be proactive and supportive, which has made a world of difference in the classroom! I am thankful to the child psychologist who recommended I read this! I would recommend it to any teacher, parent, or car...more
My mom handed this to me and simply said “This is you”. She’s totally right, and I wish she had read this when I was growing up. Since I’m not raising a HSC (I’m not raising any kids actually, and don’t plan to for a very long time) I just read it for the information, and I learned a lot about my temperament and how to deal with it. I’d probably learn a lot more if I read “The Highly Sensitive Person” though.
Just one tiny complaint: Beware of the author somewhat putting HSCs on a pe...more
Just one tiny complaint: Beware of the author somewhat putting HSCs on a pe...more
I have read this book several times, each time it helps me center my relationship with my son, both of us being HSPs. It also gives me a fresh perspective on some commonly used parenting techniques and why they seem so unsuccessful for us - probably those techniques are ok for most people but just aren't right for HSPs.
Loved this book! Best parenting book I've read since Raising Your Spirited Child. Michael is probably glad I've finally finished reading it so I'll quit talking about it.
While I completely disagree with the author's views on discipline, this book helped a lot! Already took some tips and applied them. What a difference it has made!
Very informative to the point of repetition but maybe that is what parenting is about, doing the same thing but in a different way for a different age.
Brilliant for those with Highly Sensitive children or those who are Highly Sensitive themselves and wondering why their childhood was so difficult.
The author helped me relax my expectations of my 'little HSP' to allow for her sensitive nature and pay better attention to her state of arousal. I think knowing I am an HSP also helps me give myself a break when I become overstimulated from her reaction to being overstimulated. Haa haa haa!
I love how she said if you want to have an exceptional child you have to be willing to have an exceptional child. SO TRUE!
I love how she said if you want to have an exceptional child you have to be willing to have an exceptional child. SO TRUE!
Op zich een goed boek dat je inzicht geeft in de wereld van het HSK. Maar ik heb de indruk dat ik het meeste van wat ze in het boek schrijft eigenlijk al toepas. Dus een goed boek om te ontdekken wat HS eigenlijk is, maar aan de tips en toepassingen heb ik niet zoveel
This book has taken me forever to get through (2 separate check outs from the library!), I think because I have a hard time read psychological-type books. That said, the book was very helpful and very insightful both for me as a highly sensitive person and for raising my daughter who is a highly sensitive child. The author does a great job explaining various characteristics of this trait, including how much it varies by individual, as well as give many suggestions for how to help your HSC lear...more
This was an interesting book, but I thought it was a little better on the "what" - the definition of someone who is highly sensitive, what that means, how to recognize it - than the "how" of how to deal with them.
Read it in a 24-hour-period. Z in a nutshell.
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