I got pretty mad the other day.

It was after a conversation with a client …

And no, it was nothing she’d done.

This gal is a rockstar, and an amazing advocate for her kid.

But I got mad, because of something she told me she’d overheard.

This lady was waiting to pick her child up from school, and was standing just round the corner from a group of other moms.

To protect her identity, I won’t name any names.

But basically, not realizing my client was out of earshot, these other moms were talking about her kid.

And the words ‘weak, shy, and overly emotional’ came up.

Understandably, my client was very upset.

Because no mom wants to hear her kid being talked about like that.

Especially when it’s just not true.

See, the big misconception about HSCs is that they’re weak, because they need extra attention …

That they’re shy, because they often avoid social situations, and keep themselves to themselves …

And that they’re overly emotional, because, well … You don’t need me to expla...

Screaming and shouting …

Yelling in your face and telling you they hate you …

Slamming doors, punching walls, and throwing books all over the room …

If any of these happen the minute you try to get your kid to do homework -

Welcome to the world of parenting an HSC!

Most of us didn’t like homework when we were at school.

And maybe we tried everything we could to get out of it, or chose to leave that book report or calculus revision ‘til the very last minute …

But we all kinda sucked it up, and accepted homework as a necessary evil.

That doesn’t happen with HSC kids though.

And actually, I hear of truly terrible situations, every single day, in my Facebook group.

I’ve heard about parents being threatened.

Or school books being ripped up in protest.

Angry phone calls home from teachers, demanding to know why this week’s assignment wasn’t done.

And even if your kid doesn’t have a full-blown meltdown, sometimes simply seeing the struggle they go through and the frustration they...

There’s something NO ONE is talking about when it comes to parenting highly sensitive children.

Neglecting this one thing is a surefire way to keep you stuck in the meltdown cycle …

With a kid who stays unpredictable and volatile …

Leaving you tiptoeing around, worried about what to say 24/7 …

And making you feel like you’re doing something “wrong.”

What one thing am I talking about?

Mindset.

I don’t mean your kiddo’s mindset either.

I mean your mindset.

Now, you might be thinking -

“But Megghan, what does MY mindset have to do with ending the meltdown cycle, and helping my child be calm, confident and sociable?”

Well … A LOT!

Mindset is something we place a big emphasis on at MTC.

And for good reason.

Because we’ve seen just how amazing the outcomes are when parents stop trying to ‘fix’ their kid, and start working on their own mindset first.

But if you’re on the fence and still not convinced, here are 4 reasons why you need to work on your own mindset:

1. Mindset Work...

Ever feel like you’re walking on eggshells at home?

One moment, your HSC is calm, loving and content …

The next, they’re in full-blown meltdown mode …

And then soon after, they totally shut down?

If so, let me tell you something -

This is expected in the meltdown cycle.

In the world of HSCs, going from one emotion to another super quickly isn’t uncommon at all.

We call this “The shutdown/ irritability cycle.”

Just because it’s expected though, doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.

And it definitely doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about the stress this causes, either.

Because if we’re being totally honest, you don’t want to feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells at home, right?

Worried that you might say or do something that triggers a meltdown.

Or send them into shutdown mode.

Or that you may use the wrong parenting approach for a given situation, because you haven’t realized your kiddo’s mood has totally switched.

That’s no way for you to live …

And it’s...

Growing up, I wasn’t a highly sensitive child …

But I was the sibling of a highly sensitive child.

See, people often wonder why I got into the work I do at MTC.

And while it’s because my passion truly is helping parents and kids in this situation, it’s also down to my personal experience.

I want to preface this by saying that I have an amazing relationship with my parents.

They’re kind, loving people, and we get on great.

But looking back, knowing what I know now, there were things in my childhood that definitely weren’t optimal, and had a negative impact on me as I grew up.

That’s why I wanted to write today’s blog.

Parenting an HSC is super tough.

Parenting an HSC and a non-HSC is even tougher.

Because it’s such a balancing act.

And clearly, you can’t use the exact same strategy for both kids.

So what can you do?

Well, let me share with you the 4 “lessons” I learned being parented in a traditional household alongside an HSC:

(By the way, the word ‘lessons’ is a bit of a...

Something that comes up a LOT in my Facebook group is judgment.

We get parents posting almost every day about how family members simply can’t stop criticizing or passing comments on their parenting styles.

Which sucks.

Because there you are, doing the work needed to help your kiddo end the meltdown cycle, develop vital social skills, and grow into a calm, confident young adult …

And you’re getting unnecessary comments from others who feel the need to get involved!

Now, I want to preface this by saying, I understand why family members can be critical.

I mean, we all go on our own journeys, right?

And when something is a little bit ‘different’ it can be scary.

But at the same time, feeling like others judge you just isn’t nice.

It can make you second guess and doubt yourself.

So to help you out with this, I wanted to explain the 3 main reasons why your family might be upset with your shift in parenting style.

First up, they simply don’t understand the science.

For many family...

Being the parent of a teenager is never easy.

But when your teen is highly sensitive …

Well, that adds a whole other level of complexity.

If you’re a parent of a teen though, and you read my post last week about the importance of consistency with highly-sensitive kids, maybe you’re thinking -

“Well, Megghan’s advice there should work for us, too.”

Stop right now!

There’s a BIG difference between the 3 things parents of younger kids need to do for consistency, compared to parents of teens.

That’s why, if you have a kid between 13 and 19 (or even just a little outside of this range,) you need to read today’s blog carefully.

Because I’m about to reveal the 3 consistency traps that keep teen parents stuck.

Trap #1: Parents Not Being on the Same Page

With most things in your relationship, one spouse will take more of an active role.

Whether it’s things like household chores …

Buying groceries …

Or home improvements and tending to the yard.

But when this happens with parenting ...

Does the following sound familiar:

You read some advice about managing meltdowns.

Maybe it’s something from one of my Facebook lives …

Maybe it’s in an online forum …

Or maybe you pick up a new strategy from a podcast or book.

You try this advice, and, whadda ya know … It works!

Your kiddo is calmer, more controlled, and the meltdowns reduce …

… for a week or two.

Then, before you know it, things are right back where they were. Or possibly, even worse.

And this strategy that worked so well just a few weeks ago?

Well, now it’s as good as useless!

If that sounds like you, this is super common.

In fact, I rarely meet a parent who’s never had any success with reducing the meltdown cycle.

But nearly everyone I speak to has had some short-term success, and got their hopes up, only to then go right back to square one, and not know why.

And that’s because it’s difficult to work out what is and isn’t working when parenting an HSC.

Which can make staying consistent with your paren...

Ever feel like no matter what you do, you just can’t get through to your kid?

You’ve read all the books …

Tried all the tactics …

And diligently stick to everything you should be doing …

But whenever you try to speak to them about emotions, they clam up?

If so … Welcome to the world of parenting an HSC :)

I’m not saying all HSCs are difficult to talk to about emotions.

But the majority are.

And that can lead parents to feeling disheartened, disillusioned, and like there’s no point even trying.

Many think outsourcing emotional regulation to a therapist is the only choice.

So they ask around, go for multiple assessments, and spend a small fortune on sessions for their kiddo, which do …

Absolutely nothing!

See, there can be a time and a place for therapy.

But emotional regulation isn’t it.

I know how common it is for parents to struggle to talk with HSCs about emotion.

But there’s also a way you can get through to them.

A way which has worked for every single parent who we...

Suicide isn’t a comfortable topic to talk about.

Especially when talking about suicide in kids and teens.

But it’s something I feel I need to cover.

Because shockingly, a recent CDC report showed that suicide rates have increased 195% since 1990.

And that’s not all.

In youths aged 5-19, self-harm has also risen by a staggering 411%.

And in children aged 5-12, suicide is now the 5th leading cause of death.

I know hearing this might make you uncomfortable.

And it should.

It certainly does me.

But we can’t just brush this issue under the carpet.

After all, resistance to speaking about suicide and self-harm in children and teens is likely one of the reasons these rates have continued to climb.

And sure, there are other factors involved as well …

But a reluctance to talk won’t have helped.

Self-harm and suicide risks are very real.

In fact, barely a week goes by when my team and I don’t speak to a parent who’s already found evidence of their HSC self-harming …

Or they’re hav...