I get asked this question so many times: "Kelsey, help! My child is really sensitive and empathic. They struggle in crowded situations and get overwhelmed easily. They feel everything. How can I help them navigate life easier?"
God blessed me with two beautiful, sweet and highly sensitive children. They are both completely different, yet both are wildly empathic in their unique ways. Over the years, I've built up our family's Empath Support Toolbox with tips and tricks for the kids to use when life gets to be too extreme. And, today, I'm sharing with you my go-to's when it comes to assisting my own empathic children.
Before I get started, I wanted to share that some of these tips work really well with my six-year-old daughter, while others work better for my eight-year-old son. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach that works when we're dealing with empaths and every kid is authentic. So, if you're a parent and have found your way onto this page, my best advice is to experiment with each of these tips and follow your inner compass. Find the tools that work best for you and your child and simply discard the rest.
Teach your children energy Protection
Empathic children tend to absorb other people's energies and emotions and have a hard time separating these from their own. When working with older children, I'll describe that being an empath is like being a sponge. You soak up all of the thoughts and emotions around you, until you just feel kind of "full" or "uncomfortable." Then, you have to go about your day feeling heavy and weighed down by all of the excess energies that you've collected from being around other people.
One of the ways we can teach our children to not get so weighed down is by teaching them simple energy protection techniques so that their so-called sponge or energy field doesn't get bombarded and overwhelmed with outside energies.
Probably the easiest way to teach children about protection is to teach them about their energetic Space Suit! Everyday before you walk out the door, teach your children to energetically zip their auras up. I teach children to literally reach down towards their feet, grab their imaginary zipper and zip their aura all the way up to the top of their head. What this does is it creates an energetic seal and a layer of extra protection around the aura so that outer influences have a more difficult time penetrating the body.
As a parent, you can get creative with how you teach your children about energy protection. Sometimes, I'll tell children to picture a big, strong bubble or balloon surrounding their bodies. I'll tell them that anything that makes them feel sad or overwhelmed can't get inside their bubble unless they want it to. Or, if something does come inside of their bubble, they have the power to push it back out. To help my children tap into their own auras, I will often ask them, "What color is your bubble today? Is it full of color and light, or does it need more? Do you feel protected, or does your bubble need to be stronger today?"
Another thing you can try is teaching them to put an invisible, protective cloak or blanket around their entire body. The more you can normalize and teach your children about energy protection, the easier it will be for them to protect themselves when you're not around to assist.
Pray to The Angels
Every night before bed my daughter prays, "Dear God and Angels, please surround me with your protective light. Please help to keep me safe, happy and well." Connecting to the Angels is something that comes so easily and naturally for children. So, be sure to give them lots of encouragement to ask for help from the higher realms whenever they need it.
When my children are feeling especially overwhelmed I'll call in the Angels out loud so that they can hear me. I'll simply say something like, "Hello Angels! We could really use your help right now. Please come and sit with my son. Be with him and hold him tight while this difficult moment passes." Almost immediately I watch as my children's faces lighten up and a feeling of relief washes over them.
When I was a little girl, my grandmother had a beautiful Lindberg painting of a Guardian Angel helping two children cross a bridge above her bed. As a child, seeing pictures of Angels always put me in a state of peace. So, if your children love talking to the Angels, it would be a great idea to let them decorate their room with a piece of artwork or an Angelic figurine next to their bed to remind them of this powerful connection.
When children are feeling scared or having troubles in any area of their life, teach them to ask the Angels for help. You can teach them to ask the Angels to walk with them throughout their day or to stand outside their home or bedroom while the sleep. Remind them that their Angels are always walking with them, even when we can't see or feel them.
Let Children Explore Crystals
From the day my son could walk, he always had pockets full of rocks. Even to this day, my children will gather stones they found on their walk or while at school and bring them home to show me. I think that every child instinctually knows that stones contain beautiful frequencies and healing properties, and that's why they love them so much!
If you get a chance, take your empathic child to a crystal store and let them pick out a favorite stone or two. Don't worry about the color, shape, size or properties of the crystal. Let your child intuitively choose the one that they want and need, and then trust that they will get it right! Crystals can assist empaths with energy protection, grounding, clearing and raising their vibration. If you're new to working with crystals, you can read more about these ten crystals that I use regularly in my home.
Let your child carry their stones in their pocket or backpack or sleep with them next to their bed. Older children may wish to wear the stones as bracelets or necklaces. And, even babies and toddlers could find energetic support from an Amber teething necklace or crystals placed in a safe spot in the nursery. An amethyst or Himalayan salt lamp is also a wonderful addition for the bedroom of any empath!
It is also a good idea to give an older, anxious child a worry stone to carry in their pocket. A worry stone is a small, flat stone that you hold between your thumb and finger. Kids can rub their thumb back and forth over the surface of the stone when they're feeling anxious to help relieve tension, reduce stress and calm their senses.
Utilize Essential Oils and Herbal Remedies
The younger generation responds exceptionally well to essential oils and other plant remedies. Both of my kids have diffusers in their bedrooms, and I encourage them to intuitively choose one or two oils that they love to diffuse before going to bed. I also make sure to diffuse essential oils in the living room and kitchen areas when they're home. Aromatherapy is especially helpful at supporting our moods and resetting our emotions.
In my home, we love to utilize the essential oil blends from the dōTERRA Kids Oil Collection. These special blends such as Calmer, Brave and Steady can assist our children in balancing their minds and calming their emotions. I also like to utilize these DIY Aura Cleansing Sprays to mist throughout their rooms and on their pillows and blankets.
I don't try to micro-manage the way that my kids use essential oils. When they're feeling overwhelmed, I'll tell them to grab an oil and rub it anywhere that they want to on their body. I think it's important to encourage their intuition and instincts to show them how to care for themselves.
You can also add herbs or essential oils to your children's bath water. And, for older children, they may respond well to herbal teas or flower essences. I often recommend the use of this natural stress relief, Bach Rescue Remedy, for older children before going out into stressful environments.
Place Your Kids in Nature or water
Children need a lot of time in nature, but especially empathic children. Whenever I'm at a loss for my children and they're in a major funk, I get them outside as soon as possible. Maybe it's just a quick stroll around the block or a picnic in the backyard, but 20 minutes of time in the sun is the perfect way to help them regroup.
If the weather isn't cooperating, we'll just go for a long drive around town. Usually I'll suggest we go for a ride to our local ice cream shop... you know, the one that is all the way across town! I'll turn on some good music, crack the windows, and by the time we make it back home, everyone seems to be in a much better state of mind.
Water is also a great healer. So, whenever possible, I make sure my kids are getting lots of long baths. Swimming, running through the sprinklers, playing in the rain or being around natural water bodies is also perfect at soothing the heart and Soul.
Give Them Space and Alone Time
If you're an empath, then you already know how important your alone time and self care is for your mental wellbeing. We often forget that children are the same as us, in that they need time to unwind, ungroup and unplug. Teach your child how to rest and recharge.
This is going to look differently for every child. For my son, he loves to mentally check out for a few minutes watching his favorite tv show or playing a video game. Although I'm not a huge fan of excessive screen time, I do understand that this is how my son likes to reset. So, I make sure to carve out time for him to get his mental breaks. Then, immediately after his screen time, I make sure he moves his body by doing something active such as going for a bike ride or kicking the soccer ball around.
My daughter on the other hand usually needs technology breaks to get the most out of her alone time. I find that coloring puts her in a meditative state and helps her to clear her mind. I also know that sometimes, she just needs to play or read, uninterrupted without anyone around. So, we've taught her that going to her room isn't a bad thing or a punishment, rather it can be a fun and safe place for us to go when we're feeling cranky.
I intentionally plan our weeks with "downtime" carved out for the whole family. I have no problem saying "no" to weekend plans, parties, family events and extracurricular activities when my kids are feeling overwhelmed. As a society, we've been conditioned to believe that we must be busy all of the time, but I want to show my kids that self-care, rest and relaxation are just as important.
Energy Healing, Touch and Reiki
Energy healing, such as Reiki or other modalities of healing can be very beneficial for children. Believe it or not, children are usually much more receptive and responsive to energy healing than we are! You can look for a healing practitioner who is comfortable working with children and someone who can speak to them in a way they will understand.
I often work with empathic children to assist in energetically creating stronger boundaries for them, to help clear their energy fields, and to assist them with protection and grounding. I also help teach parents how to do these things for themselves and in their homes. I think it's always a good sign when energy practitioners are interested in giving you tools and empowering you to become your own healer of the home, rather than always relying on them. If you're a parent, taking a Reiki workshop and learning how to provide energy work for your own children will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your family!
Younger children don't need to be present to receive energy healing. They're often too young to comprehend what is taking place and don't have the capacity to be still for an extended period. So, as long as the practitioner has distinct permission from a parent, healing can be sent long distance and while the child is at home, school, or daycare.
However, I think it's a good idea to include older children as active participants in their healing sessions. The energy and intention of healing is always more powerful when you're a conscious participant in your own healing journey.
As a parent, one of the most important things we must remember when it comes to energy healing is to honor our children's free will. If they're not old enough to orally consent to energy healing, then we can provide healing to them with the intent of "doing no harm" and asking that our children receive only the energy that their Higher Self consents to. Once my children could understand, I'd say things to them like, "Mommy was wondering if she could send prayers to you tonight while you sleep? I'd like to send you energies that will help you to feel happy, safe and well. Would that be okay with you?" Of course, my little ones love this! And, I have peace of mind knowing that I'm not intruding or overstepping their boundaries.
I would also include things like chiropractic care, acupressure, massage and healing touch in your Empath Support Toolbox. These techniques can be especially helpful for empaths in balancing the nervous system and supporting overall health and wellbeing.
In addition, hug and cuddle with your children as much as you can. Rub their backs, play with their hair or massage their feet and shoulders. Your touch is very grounding and calming to them and can help them to feel safe and secure. We keep two oversized lounge pillows and plenty of blankets in our living room to encourage loads of family cuddle time. I'm always amazed at how sharing blankets and pillows with my children helps them to feel calm and nurtured.
Assist Children With Grounding & Clearing
It's never too early to teach your children how to ground and clear their energy. Grounding techniques such as deep breathing and mantras can be powerful for children of any age, while daily salt baths are equally important for energy clearing. Include your children when incorporating these grounding and clearing techniques in your own life. You can also teach your children how to use the Raise Your Vibration oracle deck. All of these tools and resources are not just for you, they're for the whole family!
If we can teach our children how to embrace their empathic abilities as a superpower at a young age they'll be much better off when they become adults.
With Love,
Kelsey
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