Website: 🌐 www.andiclark.com

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Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall

What if your child’s “too muchness” is exactly what the world needs?

In this episode, Andi explores how children who are sensitive, intense, passionate, or deeply curious are often misunderstood, redirected, or told to tone it down—and how this can quietly create lasting emotional wounds. She breaks down the subtle, invisible forms of trauma kids experience when the world isn’t ready for their gifts and offers tools for helping your child celebrate who they are instead of shrinking to fit in.

Whether your child is being told they’re “too loud,” “too sensitive,” “too smart,” or “too intense,” this episode will help you reframe those messages and support them in developing confidence, connection, and self-awareness—without ever having to change who they are.

Key Takeaways

• Trauma isn’t just big events—it’s anything that feels like too much, too soon, too fast, or too long.
• Many neurodiverse kids internalize subtle redirections and dismissals as proof that something is “wrong” with them.
• Kids who are deeply curious or emotionally intense may feel misunderstood unless we celebrate their “too much” instead of trying to fix or mute it.
• Teaching kids how to use a “dial,” not a mute button, helps them adjust to different environments without losing their identity.
• Supporting kids through their sensitivities and passions builds resilience and helps them develop a strong sense of self.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] – Opening reflection: Why kids are told they’re too much—and what it does to them

[02:00] – Personal story: How a whiteboard and math at dinner challenged expectations

[03:00] – Trauma redefined: Not just big events, but how experiences shape nervous systems

[05:00] – The impact of being misunderstood or redirected as a child

[06:00] – How feeling others’ emotions can be overwhelming—and how to manage it

[07:00] – Breaking down trauma: too much, too soon, too fast, too long

[08:30] – Academic mismatch: When a child’s intellectual level doesn’t match emotional readiness

[10:00] – Sensory sensitivity: The real impact of smells, sounds, and environment

[12:00] – Practical examples: Why 20 questions on a test might trigger a meltdown

[14:00] – Personal school story: Being accelerated without emotional preparation

[16:00] – The hidden trauma of chronic stress, boredom, or masking

[18:00] – Supporting your child: Let them voice how they feel about being brushed off

[19:00] – Creating safe spaces where “too much” is celebrated

[21:00] – Teaching the concept of the emotional and behavioral “dial”

[22:00] – Self-awareness vs. self-rejection: Supporting authenticity with boundaries

[24:00] – Helping kids find their people and communities where they belong

[26:00] – Mourning what we thought parenting would look like—and leaning into who our child really is

[28:00] – Social struggles and executive functioning: What’s really going on

[29:00] – Teaching perception, inhibition, and emotional regulation without shutting kids down

[30:00] – Recap & how the Support Circle can help

Resources Mentioned

Book a 30-Minute Call with Andi – Get your questions answered and explore next steps: Book here: https://tidycal.com/andi1/bookacall