When highly sensitive kids become teens, the intensity of their inner world doesn’t fade; it deepens, intersecting with identity, peer pressure, academic expectations, and the push for independence. The right kind of support during these years can make all the difference: it helps highly sensitive teens feel seen instead of misunderstood, confident instead of crushed by comparison, and safe within boundaries that are co-created, not imposed. The author of the Highly Sensitive Person says, “Highly sensitive kids who grow up feeling securely attached can handle overstimulation fairly well.”

If you were to think of social media platforms you used as a teenager, you probably would be able to just list down a handful. In the present world, however, social media has evolved into gigantic digital arenas filled with traffic and glamour, with usage that is consistently increasing. This usage is mostly rampant amongst teenagers, with research claiming that up to 95% of children aged 13-17 are using a social media platform, with more than a third using it almost constantly. This is why it’s more important now than ever to understand the link between social media and teen mental health.

As a parent, you’ll witness your child through their many emotional phases. Happy for their first day of school, cranky about the math test, giddy after a sleepover, or heartbroken over a lost friendship. These emotional ups and downs are a natural and essential part of growing up. But when emotions like sadness or irritability linger for longer than expected, it could be a sign of something else!! Depression in children and teens goes unnoticed because it doesn’t show up the way depression in adults does.

A sensory-friendly home is essential for highly sensitive children, whose finely tuned nervous systems can make everyday stimuli feel overwhelming. By creating a calm, predictable environment, you help your child feel emotionally and physically safe, reducing outbursts and supporting focus and regulation. This kind of space fosters secure attachment and allows your child to thrive both socially and academically. Most importantly, a sensory-friendly home shows your child they are loved, understood, and valued for exactly who they are.

While screen time is a need, there can be screen time effects on sensitive children if not managed consciously. You’re not alone if screen time worries you, especially with sensitive kids who feel more deeply.

Often times highly intelligent children will end up checking out (disassociating in a way that could even sometimes be misdiagnosed as ADD) when other kids are joking about something they think is childish or silly…or learning something in the classroom that is elementary in comparison to what this child is ready to learn about. As a result, they can feel disconnected from the group and then develop low esteem as a result of feeling like an outsider.

It’s easy to feel frustrated and lost when figuring out how to deal with a highly sensitive child. However, there are plenty of parenting strategies that can help both you and your child feel better. In this post, I share everything you need to know about raising a highly sensitive child, including my top tips for how to help them thrive.

Highly sensitive children need a different kind of parenting to thrive. If your child had a medical condition, you would see the right specialist and get the information you need to support your child in being as comfortable to grow as possible. It's no different for a highly sensitive child with a unique brain and nervous system makeup...that needs unique support. Read on for more reasons why...

Most of the time, when your child is coming to you with a big feeling, they not only don’t want you to fix it, they actually need you to not fix it…and instead tolerate and model simply hanging out with them in the feeling. Offer these 3 simple steps to support your child in moments they need you most.