I have a overly sensitive DCG. She is nearing 2.5yrs. She has been here for almost 1.5yrs, she has been very aware of other people's negative emotions from the start.

But I am looking for ways to help her "toughen up" so to speak. Today the toy box lid fell on my daughter, it hurt but she recovered after a quick hug. DCG, who was across the room on the other hand curled up in a ball bawling when this happened. If my daughter gets 'in trouble' for something completely unrelated to DCG, DCG girl will burst into a sobbing fit that continues long after my daughter is happily back to play.

Home greatly feeds into this, and home does everything they can to ensure this child doesn't so much as whimper (eats what she wants, stays up as late as she wants, doesn't have to go in the car when she doesn't feel like it etc etc). I think there is a strong internal component here and home is escalating it compounding how sensitive she is and will become.

I do not feed in to it. But, aside from giving little attention to her strong reaction to anything remotely negative I have no idea how to help this child. I will note she is entirely sleep deprived because she is rocked(possibly still nursed) to sleep and only sleeps 30min intervals and needs to be rerocked...the last month or so she has been up until 10:30-11pm having extra snacks and tv time (home blames the time change). I assume being sleep deprived does NOT help her bawling fits.

I see her entering kindergarten in 2 yrs and being completely overwhelmed by the 30 other kids emotions and internalizing it all...and just not surviving!

Now, she isn't 100% sweet and innocent by any means and she plays victim often. But she clearly needs to learn how to deflect some of what is going on around her.

Any suggestions? Similar experiences?