Maureen Healy: Helping Highly Sensitive Kids Thrive - February 27, 2015 CET

Læs også: Særligt sensitive mennesker - Frygt er glæde i forklædning - 20 Januar, 2015

By Maureen Healy · February 16th, 2015

What do I mean by sensitivity?

This is a great question. There is a science of sensitivity, which explans how highly sensitive children and adults have highly responsive nervous systems. They feel things more deeply and respond quickly. Sensitive people tend to be more emotional, and have heightened perception (atmosphere, sounds, smells and other sensory input). Less sensitive people (for lack of a better term) might not think fluroscent lighting is too bright but for a sensitive adult or child this can be extremely uncomfortable. Oftentimes, I describe highly sensitive adults and children as having a smaller window of comfort and by widening that window we can help them thrive in this not-so sensitive world.
But when I discuss sensitivity, I am not simply referring to the common description as being highly emotional, responsive to sensory input or even selective about clothing or food (i.e. picky eater). I am squarely referring to sensitivity as something beyond a deeply emotional state to actually connecting with Source Energy. I am referring to their:

• Intuition
• Psychic Abilities
• Creativity
• Genuis

Well, there are plenty of professionals working with children on how to manage their stress and anxiety (okay, I do that too) but my main focus is how to help our highly sensitive and intuitive children succeed in this world without sacrificing their connection to Source. My goal is help our new children, teens and young adults move through their lives learning how to stay connected —- read, hold onto their intuitive connection — and also bring their unique gifts to the world with success.

What is an indigo?

Who are the indigos? It’s a fair question especially since I speak to many mainstream professionals, and parents who genuinely have never heard this term or frankly think it’s a “crazy pants” notion from the new age weirdos. But then again truth usually sounds crazy in the beginning. Just like when everyone thought the world was flat and anyone who said otherwise was considered wacko quacko. So let’s suspend any disbelief momentarily, and I’ll share my description of indigo children from my book, The Energetic Keys to Indigo Kids. You then get to consider if it might be true for you.
(pg 27-30)
Indigo Kids are unique in that they hold two opposing qualities simultaneously: high sensitivity and fierceness. So they are extremely sensitive like the “highly sensitive children,” as defined by Elaine Aron in her book, The Highly Sensitive Child, but what differentiates them is their personality. I prefer to use the concept of “the indigo personality” to capture their shared characteristics, such as;

• Are highly creative
• Are extremely energetic
• Are gifted in certain areas (for example, mathematical genius, poor reading skills)
• Have a need for fairness
• Prize honesty (almost above all else)
• Feel equal to authority
• Hate rules
• Refuse to do certain things
• Want special treatment
• Are strong-willed
• Waver between grandiosity and low self-esteem
• May be prone to depression
• Have high sensitivity (sounds, smells, touch, sight, etc)
• Have sharpened intuition
• Doesn’t respond positively to authoritative parenting
• Have built in BS detector (immediately know dishonesty)
• Tend to leave things incomplete
• Cannot be rushed
• May have fetish (for example, only want to wear princess dresses)
• Like playing alone (unless with other indigos)
• Get “hooked” on things and can’t let go
• Are independent at times, clingy at other times
• Seek meaningful friendships

Understanding the core characteristics of the indigo personality is very empowering. You no longer feel alone. Having worked with thousands of indigos, I can say that these attributes animate themselves differently in children but the indigo short summary is this:

• High sensitivity
• Giftedness (in at least one area)
• Incredible creativity
• Strong energy of defiance
• Inner motivation
• Intuitive intelligence (very high!)

When I told you early on that I beat to my own drummer I took it in stride. Now, I realize that I was merely beating to an indigo drum — which is unique, unusual to the mainstream, and deeply powerful as a force for change. Indigos see, feel  and experience life differently than thier more mainstream counterparts. They tend to have an usually high level of creativity, sensitivity, giftedness, and angry energy to channel.
This angry or warrior energy that defines many indigos isn’t a bad thing. It is the energy that breaks down broken systems (think: public school systems) and creates better ways of doing things. OF course, the challenge is to raise indigo kids to use their incredibly sensitive, highly responsive, and fierce energy as a force for good.