10 Signs Your Child is an Old Soul in a Young Body

10 Signs Your Child is an Old Soul in a Young Body

Although strange and perplexing, the Old Soul child is one of the greatest unexpected blessings life has to offer not only because of their innate wisdom, but also because of the level-headed stability they have to offer.

If you are struggling to relate to your child, understand where they are coming from, or simply want some closure, you might benefit from reading the signs below:

1. They are otherworldly.

You don’t know what exactly it is about your child… but something about them seems out of place. The best word you can think to describe your son or daughter is that they are “otherworldly”.

In short, they just don’t seem to be from this world, and often times they are very much in a world of their own making.

2. They are pensive.

While the other parents are kicking balls, shooting hoops and taking their little tykes to playgroup, your child seems to be withdrawn, dreamy and contemplative.  In other words, your child seems to be in a perpetually pensive state, quietly absorbed in their ownmeditative world.

3. They struggle to fit in with other children their age.

Although they usually attempt to blend in with the children in their age group, if your child is an Old Soul they will gradually lose interest in the conversations, interests and dramas of the kid’s their age.

Sometimes this can result in being bullied and picked on, especially in school, and so they can sometimes live their childhood and pubescent years as outcasts.

4. They can relate to people much older than them.

If your child is an Old Soul you will notice that they often gravitate towards spending time with older people.

For example, at school they usually tend to befriend the teachers, and in the family social life, they tend to enjoy talking to older people (e.g. grandparents, adult friends, retirees).

This is because psychologically, they are on the same level.

5. They don’t like listening to authority and can be perceived as “smart asses”.

Far from being anarchic, Old Soul children are highly intelligent, astute and observant and so are not as susceptible to blindly obeying authority as childlike children are.

Instinctively feeling themselves to be equals to their adult peers, Old Soul children tend to get in trouble with figures of authority while growing up, easily seeing through the puerile, flawed and illogical demands they are often confronted with.

Therefore, in school and in home life, the Old Soul child will often not hesitate to argue or wisecrack his or her way out of unreasonable punishments or requests.

6. They tend to spend a lot of their time alone.

If your child is an Old Soul, they will find it difficult to integrate into the social circles of their age group. Coupled with their contemplative natures, Old Soul children will often spend time alone despite their often well-developed social skills.

This is not because the child is anxious or depressive, but simply because they are comfortable in their own company and rarely need to depend on anyone else to provide them with enjoyment and stimulation.

7. They are very inquisitive.

Seeking to perpetually build on their knowledge and wisdom from a young age, Old Soul children love to ask many questions about the world in different shapes and forms.  If your child is an Old Soul, they can often be found reading books, exploring the world, experimenting and asking surprising questions.

8. They are “underachievers” or “overachievers”.

Depending on the temperament of your child, if they are more emotional and creative, they will often work hard at school in an attempt to please you.

However, if your child is more logical and scholarly, they will often rebel against the schooling system, sensing the flaws and limitations of such a system they are forced to be a part of.

9. They are responsible and independent.

One of the most noticeable characteristics of the Old Soul child is that they are unusually stable and reliable. For this reason, many parents who have Old Soul children often find themselves leaning on them for support, advice and assistance.

While the good-natured Old Soul child is happy to help whenever needed, eventually, if they are given too many responsibilities or depended on too heavily, they will seek distance and freedom.

10. They sound like a “little old man” or “little old woman”.

Sometimes, out of the blue, a witty interjection, or incisive question will arise from your child if they are an Old Soul.

The best way to describe your child’s wisdom beyond years is that they sound like a “little old man or woman” unexpectedly giving advice and counsel.

From the author: If you are interested in reading more about raising an Old Soul Child, please have a look at my book: “Old Souls: The Sages and Mystics of Our World”

In5D Addendum

by Gregg Prescott, M.S.
Editor, In5D.com

Similar to being pensive, being an introvert would also be a sign of an old soul, as introvertsoften look within for answers (reflection) while extroverts tend to crave the attention of others (ego).  I answer a lot of these types of questions in the articles, “Introverts And Spirituality” and “Why Are Spiritual People Generally Introverts?“.

According to Betty W. Phillips, Ph.D., Psychology, “…introverts have been found to constitute 60% of highly gifted individuals. Einstein was an extreme introvert. In fact, in elementary school he was so quiet and withdrawn that he was actually thought to be ‘dull-witted.’ ”

Does your child play with many other children or does he or she prefer to play with a smaller group of children (or by himself/herself)?

Is your child attracted to nature or to the television and smartphones?

If given the choice, the introvert will prefer to work alone or in small groups than with a large group of people.  The ideal profession for the introvert does not involve being around a lot of people and may include careers in writing, computer programming, webmasters and graphic design.  In the end, the introvert could do virtually any job that an extrovert can do but ultimately, introverts need to find their own space at the end of the day.

Approximately 75% of the world are extroverts, which makes the introvert the minority, yet the introvert will not succumb to societal pressure in order to conform.  As children, they may temporarily experiment with the extrovert role but in the end, they will find their comfort zone as an introvert as they become more comfortable about being themselves instead of what society expects them to be.  The key is to allow your child the freedom to choose without making them feel uncomfortable about being in extroverted situations.  This doesn’t mean to shelter them from being an extrovert.  It simply means that they’ll let you know their comfort zone, so pay close attention to how they interact with other children.  They may have extroverted tendencies at a playground but deep inside, some of them may need to recharge their psyche by getting away from other children for a little while.

About the Author:
Gregg Prescott, M.S. is the founder and editor of In5D andBodyMindSoulSpirit. He hosts a weekly spiritual show on In5D Radio and promotes spiritual, metaphysical and esoteric conferences in the United States through In5dEvents. Gregg is currently working in collaboration withMichelle Walling, CHLC, in opening a holistic walk-in clinic called Alternative Holistic Healthcare (AHH) in Sarasota, FL with subsequent subsidiaries around the world based upon this model.