"Our little guy was having so much fun watching a mountain biking reel with his dad. He asked where the mountain was. When we told him it was in another country called Canada, he burst into tears. Through the sobbing, he told us it was because he was never going to see that bike trail because he is never leaving Australia."

The mom who shared this story added: "I think the most exhausting part of having an HSC (highly sensitive child) is not knowing what will throw them and turn our day into chaos."

Having this kind of negative thinking and pessimistic mindset is a common phenomenon for highly sensitive children. Their deep thinking and analysis result in a lot of "What-ifs?" and worry that can take them to a dark place.

I think that this is rooted in their intense need for control over their world. They feel overwhelmed on the inside because they don't have an "off" button; their brains are constantly working, trying to make sense of all they are processing. To cope, they try to control whatever they can on the outside. Thinking 20 steps ahead ensures they will be prepared for anything—they feel in control of all potential outcomes. Preparing for the worst protects them from the unexpected but can also lead to a bleak outlook, as evidenced by proclamations like:

Naturally, the........

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