I once had a Bible Study leader confess that one of her children was more sensitive than her others. She realized later she and her husband could’ve done a better job understanding how to parent her better.
At that time I only had one baby – Natalie – who was about 15 months old. I asked the leader how to tell if a kid was more sensitive…. she said I would just know.
She was right.
I recently read the book Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. It’s a book about raising your spirited child.
Okay, in all seriousness, it’s a book about raising children who are “more intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent and energetic.” I might have a few of those. Two to be exact. I’ll leave you guessing which ones.
Here are some things to describe this type of child:
adverse to change
adverse to new environments
adverse to textures
adverse to new foods
adverse…… ha!
A child who obsesses… like won’t take no for an answer. Who needs transitions between activities. Who without them breaks into a temper tantrum when you try to pull them away without warning.
A child who doesn’t have a volume button – you’re constantly telling them to lower their voice. A child who makes noise – talking, singing, etc. – even when spending time alone.
I know what some people are thinking…. that this sounds like a spoiled brat. Sounds like a kid who needs a consistent disciplinarian for a parent.
Kurcinka suggests instead some ways to lay down the law while helping these children recognize their own behavior and modify it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s parenting a child who fits this description or perhaps is married to one. I recommended the book to Henry right away.
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (4)
Would this describe child #2?? It sure describes my child #2…which is why we do not have a child #3…
I credit this book for my first born still being alive and the second child having a much better developmental experience….having a spirited child in a culture where everyone wants to medicate requires a lot of wisdom…so thankful for this book and the guidance it provided.
thank you!!! ordering it NOW. i have at least a couple of these…
Whatever the temperament of the child, it seems to work best – or to help them attain the most success – to help them learn to live with the issues, and to make them into strengths, than to spend time trying to discipline them out of them. I think.