Particular need
Au pair support for highly sensitive children
When children perceive their surroundings especially intensely
Some children perceive sounds, moods, changes or other stimuli especially intensely. A full kindergarten, a children's party, scratchy clothing or a sudden change in the day's routine can become tiring for them more quickly.
At the same time, highly sensitive children can be very attentive, perceptive and intense in the way they experience things.
High sensitivity is not an illness and not a medical diagnosis. Even so, a highly sensitive child may need more calm, time or individual support at some points in everyday family life.
An au pair for a highly sensitive child can help make everyday life more relaxed and create additional room for the family.
At Besondere Sterne, we do not only look at diagnoses. What matters is what a child and their family need in everyday life.
High sensitivity in everyday family life
High sensitivity can show itself very differently from child to child.
Some react sensitively to noise or large crowds. Others perceive moods especially intensely, need a great deal of calm after a long day at kindergarten or school, or need more time to settle into new situations.
Not every sensitive child is highly sensitive — and not every highly sensitive child needs particular support.
For us, which label is used matters less.
What matters far more is:
What is good for your child, and how can an au pair support your everyday family life?
How can an au pair support a highly sensitive child?
Depending on age and individual needs, an au pair might, for example:
- shape calm afternoons,
- read, do craft activities or play together,
- spend time outdoors,
- take on kindergarten or school runs,
- accompany transitions and changes calmly,
- allow the child to withdraw and rest after a long day,
- accompany leisure activities,
- support the family's familiar routines,
- look after siblings,
- prepare simple meals for the children,
- take on light everyday tasks involving the children,
- take on babysitting within the agreed working hours.
An au pair does not need any particular therapeutic qualification for this.
What matters far more is a willingness to get to know the child's individual pace and needs.
When a full day is simply too much
Kindergarten or school, then sport, shopping and quickly on to a birthday party — for some children, an afternoon like this is no problem at all.
For others, at some point it is simply enough.
An au pair can create additional options.
Perhaps after school there is no need to go straight to the next activity, but home first instead.
Perhaps the au pair stays at home with one child while the siblings go to an event.
Or they take on the siblings while one child gets the calm they need at that moment.
Relief can also mean not having to take every child everywhere.
Which au pair suits a highly sensitive child?
Some highly sensitive children benefit from a particularly calm and patient person.
Others need someone who notices attentively when a day is becoming too full or a child needs a break.
Empathy, reliability and a willingness to get to know the family's rules and routines are important.
Because here too, one thing holds true:
No two highly sensitive children are the same.
Finding an au pair for a highly sensitive child
At Besondere Sterne, we support families in finding an au pair who fits their individual everyday family life.
No medical diagnosis is needed for this.
Together, we look at what your child needs, which situations in everyday life are especially challenging, and which personality could fit well with your family.
Getting to know each other
Looking for an au pair for a highly sensitive child?
Then get to know our au pairs and find support that fits your everyday family life.
Besondere Sterne is an au pair agency — not a special-education service and not an advice centre. For legal and specialist questions there is the EUTB: teilhabeberatung.de. Go to whichever advice centre you feel comfortable with.