Meet the Sensory Systems (a parent's intro)
We were taught five senses. Kids actually have eight — and understanding them changes everything.
Beyond the five senses
Most of us learned: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch. But humans actually have three more senses that quietly run the show:
- Vestibular — balance and head position. (Lives in the inner ear.)
- Proprioception — where your body parts are in space, and how much effort they're using.
- Interoception — what's happening inside your body: hunger, thirst, needing the bathroom, racing heart.
Why this matters at home
Most behaviors that look like 'attitude' or 'misbehavior' are actually a sensory system that's over- or under-stimulated. The kid who can't sit at dinner isn't being defiant — their vestibular system needs more movement before the body can stay still.
Once you know the eight systems, you stop asking 'how do I make them stop?' and start asking 'what does their body actually need right now?'
A 30-second self-test
Try this with your child: ask them to close their eyes, then have them touch their nose with one finger. They just used vestibular (knowing which way is up), proprioception (knowing where their finger and nose are), and interoception (sensing the small effort).
All three of those systems can be hungry, full, or uncomfortable — and each one comes with its own support tools.
Growing Balanced turns these strategies into daily routines tailored to your child.
Try it free