When we call children sensitive, what is it that we really mean? Many of us use the word sensitive to describe a person whose emotional reactions are stronger than average. Sadly, this word can get in the way of understanding an important truth about why your children have the emotional reactions they do.Some parents who view their children as sensitive treat them like they are fragile or incapable of being resilient. Being treated this way can lead children to believe that is really who they are. However, when we understand the role that meaning plays in our children’s emotional reactions, we can support their resilience without invalidating their feelings.After spending the past few years directing a program for emotionally disturbed children, I have learned that the meaning a child (or adult) creates to make sense out of an experience is the most important factor in determining his or her emotional reaction.
If two children are told they are not allowed to play video games during dinner, one might believe he is being punished by an unloving parent. The other child might believe this is just the rule of the family and it does not equate to any kind of rejection. Clearly, the first child is going to have a strong negative emotional reaction and the second won’t. The difference is not that one is more fragile, but that they interpreted their parents differently.
