Spiritually Sensitive/Gifted Children

It is my belief that all children are born spiritually sensitive or spiritually gifted.  I believe it is only through the process of being educated by a formulaic society that children lose their connection to Source Energy. It is when they are no longer taught to continue nurturing this connection, but instead that it is not “normal” or “appropriate” to do so. 

I define the term “spiritually sensitive” as anyone with the ability to directly connect to Source, (the livelihood of being, Spirit, or Divine, or any other word/name you prefer to use) in everyday life.  This may show up in a variety of ways, such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, claircognizance, etc. If you are not familiar with the 6 common “Clairs” or psychic senses, I’ve provided an overview in the table below. Keep in mind that you or your child can have multiple senses - maybe they even experience them all at different times. It is also common to have one prevalent clair-ability that you are able to  identify now, with more showing up later in life.  

Table 1

Take me, for example: I always knew I was clairsentient, but did not believe I had the gift of  clairvoyance. Yet after years of continued dedication to studying and honing my spiritual gifts, I found I was also clairvoyant, clairaudient, and often experienced clairalience when my Nana, or Uncle Pete (who had both passed) stopped by to check in on me. 

Clairsentience, is also the gift that is typically most prevalent for Empaths. If you are not familiar with the term “Empath,” or even if you are curious to learn more about it, I highly recommend reading Dr. Judith Orloff’s book: The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People.   You may even learn that you are an Empath! My guess is that you have been brought to this blog post for a reason and that you are reading this because you are either curious about your spiritually sensitive child(ren), or a child you know. If you are reading this as a parent of a sensitive child, it is also likely that you are spiritually sensitive yourself. It is very common for spiritually sensitive parents to bring children into this world who share their gifts. We spiritually sensitive souls are all here for the purposes of bringing healing to the world in some way— and as a parent, that may be through your child(ren).

There are many different ways psychic senses may appear for your child. How each gift may actually manifest for your child is unique to them, and will likely develop more over time in a nurturing, loving and supportive environment. There is no definitive list of things to look for. However, in my experience, some common indicators that your child is still functioning in that place of spirited connection may be:

• Being diagnosed as “ADD/ADHD” or on the Autism spectrum.

• Highly sensitive sensory processing (i.e. sensitivities to sounds, fabrics or materials, environments).

• Feeling that they are “different” from other children (i.e. your child feels as if they do not fit in).

• Having vibrant dreams.

• Having a very rich imagination (which may include imaginary friends).

• Always knowing/feeling someone’s emotional state (without it being told to them). 

• Having a very acute understanding of God and/or a Divine presence. 

• Seeing/talking to loved ones who have passed.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of these. 

Why would a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD be an indicator of spiritual sensitivity/gifts? 

Because a child showing signs of ADD or ADHD is likely displaying sensitivities to their surroundings that results in an inability to focus. This child may also be receiving an extremely large volume of information from their environment and those around them, making it harder to sort through it all, and resulting in an inability to simultaneously focus on a specific task.   If your child has such a diagnosis, I implore you to spend some time noticing how they act in different environments (i.e. in places that are busy versus places that are quiet; with many children or with many adults; or even in the company of specific persons individually). Keep in mind that most children will act differently in each situation, so this is not specific to ADD/ADHD, but it may be more obvious, or extreme, in children with this diagnosis.

This is also true because, as you may know, most children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD are also Highly Sensitive People (“HSP”) (or Highly Sensitive Children, “HSC”). An HSP has a sensory processing sensitivity. If you comparatively look at the characteristics for each, they may be indistinguishable. However, ADD/ADHD is the result of a a neurotransmitter deficiency in certain areas of the brain, while HSP is considered a personality trait—such as being right or left-handed. The reason I bring this up, is that it is often confused in schools and in the medical community, and little seems to be done to truly and accurately diagnose a child. So while your child may have been diagnosed as ADD/ADHD, without the full panel of testing from a licensed psychiatrist, the diagnosis may be premature. Of course, I am not a medical doctor, nor a psychologist/psychiatrist. I can only speak from my own experience, knowledge, research, and from what my spiritual connection makes known to me. Regardless, a child with this diagnosis is often also spiritually gifted, and it is something to keep in mind when ADD/ADHD symptoms are showing, or a diagnosis has been made.

Feeling Different from Other Children

This seems to be a very common thread for all healers I know. Most of us tend to express that as a child or teenager, and even throughout adulthood, we felt very different from others. We had the sense that we didn’t quite “belong” and everything “normal” felt “abnormal” to us. As a child, I personally remember wanting to fit in in order to be like everyone else (something society teaches us) and also at the same time really wanting to be myself — this weird and wild child who couldn’t sit still or play by the rules. I was a child who was content to spend hours in my own imaginary world where everything was possible.  If your child tells you that they don’t feel like they fit in, let that create a place of openness for them to expand on. Ask them “what makes you feel that way?” Or “why do you believe that to be true?”  Get curious here, because the way you handle this can provide the potential starting point for your child to feel embraced in their skin as they are — not as they “should be.” It is a very fine line, I understand that, so just get curious, and be present with them while you both explore their feelings and thoughts on this one. Remind them that there is no “wrong” answer, and always be gentle with them.  

Knowing Your Emotional State 

In my experience, this is something almost all children are able to do. They have this innate ability to sense others energies and emotional states. A child may come to you and put their arms around you when you are feeling sad, without you even saying anything to them about how you're feeling. A child can often pick up on your feelings and feel them too. In fact, most children intuitively know what you are feeling without you saying anything. They are little energy detectors with the most open hearts. They can read the environment in the room with no effort—it just is.  

Has there ever been a time where your child was outside of the house playing while you were inside having a difficult or emotionally charged conversation with someone, either on the phone or in person, and although you stopped the conversation just before your child came into the house, your child entered and asked you “what’s wrong?” They couldn't have heard you arguing since they were outside playing, but as soon as they open the door and step inside the house, they know what is happening. Children pick up on everything. This is a very important gift that most of us never lose—we just begin to tune it out as we get older to avoid having to continuously feel everything. This innate ability to pick up on energy is important and must be nurtured as a child. 

Emotions are the energetic messengers of the body, the soul, and the world. They tell us so much, and learning how to process them in a healthy way at an early age can lead to much healthier adulthoods. When you are aware of your child sensing emotions or energy—this is a good time to get curious and open the doorway to talking to your child about emotions, such as, how they show up, what to do when your child feels them, etc. This is an endless process—as most of us know— so begin this with your child as early as you can to create a safe space for your child to express and feel their emotions, and for you to express and feel them too. The more you are open, the more your child is open -- not just with you, but with others. 

Seeing/Talking to Loves Ones Who Have Passed

Some children’s spiritual gifts of clairvoyance may begin very early in life. It can be very unsettling to parents who may not have gifts of clairvoyance. Yet, it is likely that if a child is clairvoyant that either one of their parents is, or a grandparent is as well. A child who shows clairvoyance at an early age may be very confused at first, as it may feel scary, or they may not be able to understand that what they are seeing is not being seen by other people. This specific ability sometimes manifests as an imaginary friend, which is why it is mentioned above. If your child is exhibiting this skill, it is important that that you are open, curious, gentle, and that you allow space for your child to explore this with you. Remind your child that there is nothing wrong with them, and it is all okay. Equally important are fostering their own sense of curiosity around their clairvoyance and what they are seeing, and being present.  Being present with your child while they have such experiences may help them feel more safe and calm. This type of gift can be a very challenging process for both you and your child in the early stages, so of course, if this is a gift your child experiences and you would like some guidance or assistance, I encourage you to reach out to schedule a one-on-one session with me. 

As I mentioned, there is no definitive list of ways spiritual gifts show up for your child, and however it shows up for them, always remember to remind them they are loved and their gifts are welcome and beautiful. 

I am here to assist your child(ren) and you, in both appreciating, and exploring their unique gifts and sensitivities. To hold space for you both to fully open to your radiance and Divine self. I am here to create a community that welcomes you with open arms, just as you are. I look forward to sharing space with you all. 

With Love and Gratitude, 

Jenny Laszlo

**Please note: I am not a medical doctor or psychologist/psychiatrist. I can only speak from my own experience, education, research, and connection. 

Copyright 2022 Jennifer Laszlo