I’ll start by saying Grayson is an absolute diamond, that as his mum he can do no wrong in my eyes and that I love him with my whole heart regardless of who he is and what he does. This post isn’t me in any way criticising sensitive children, if anything I’m celebrating them!
Grayson has been an incredibly aware child since the day he was born, I can remember the midwives commenting on how much he was looking around and seemed to be taking everything in when they came to visit after we’d gotten home from the hospital. He has always been a child that is observing anything and everything with a fine detail.
In terms of the sensitivity side of things, Grayson has always been such a sensitive soul. He’s very shy around people, even those that he knows until he is fully comfortable in his surroundings and the people around him. He’s also an extremely emotional little boy, if he thinks someone’s unhappy then he’s unhappy until you say that you’re happy and then he’s back to being the bright little boy that we know him to be.
He is also a big crier, which as his parents doesn’t bother us in the slightest. Crying is just another way of showing emotion, so we’d never take that away from him. But for a lot of people ‘men/boys shouldn’t cry’ and so I think a lot of people expect us to try and stop him, rather than comfort him. However, this just isn’t the type of parents that we are.
His surroundings can also bother him, certain clothes really irritate him and the only way to calm him is to take them off. He’s also started covering his ears with certain noises or if something is too loud, he doesn’t seem to have any issue with smells (he’s probably got my sense of smell because I can barely smell anything).
Although some people may see being overly sensitive as a negative thing, I see it as a wonderful thing. Grayson is the sweetest and gentlest soul, and when he is comfortable after the first 10 minutes of having you around he showers you with love.
I think raising a sensitive child in my experience so far has been amazing, raising all children has it’s hard days but Grayson being sensitive is just one of the many things that we love about him and it just makes him even more special in my eyes.
I am glad to hear you have no issues with your child being highly sensitive.
I am a (HSP), Highly Sensitive Person. But it was only a few years ago when a blogger suggested it to me, because she discovered she was.
I looked into it further and started reading a book on the subject. The book is like a workbook in places and so from that it brought back some memories for me that I remembered the way I was as a child, as well as now as an adult. So I realised I was a sensitive child, picking things up around me, like tension, upset and other things. Something I certainly continued to do. It can be draining though and sometimes you need time out.
It’s good that you allow your son to feel and express what he feels. It’s good that you see how observant he is and loving.
Great parents like you both are, he will be confident to turn to you.
I think a lot more people are highly sensitive than we realise, after reading about highly sensitive children I then went on to HSP and I identified with a lot of what was said as well! I often find I need to have some quiet alone time after certain situations as well, so I sympathise with you there.
That’s so lovely of you to say, thank you! I’d like to think he’ll know how special we think he is and he’ll never be afraid to come to us. X
It’s always a good way to let your children express who they are and especially with confidence. I find with sensetive children they grow up as a loving caring person, always happy to help others in need. We have found this with maisy, my eldest step daughter. Being sensitive she also loves her own space and time to her self.
Absolutely! I have complete confidence that he’ll grow up to be such a kind and considerate little boy, and we’ll be so proud of him (as all parents are of their children). She sounds very similar to Grayson but also to me, nothing wrong with wanting your own space to decompress!