They may call him “The Spirited Child,” “The Little CEO,” or perhaps, “The Tough One”—few are an energetic match to the intensity they’re confronted with by these larger-than-life personalities.

One thing is certain – such wildness cannot be accommodated by the current industrial production system that serves as our main education model.

I believe most who read this blog understand why defiance is often a sign of health, and a necessary response to what is frequently a false authority. A willingness to champion, question, challenge, banter, and ignite ideas of our own is essential for growth & discovery; the key is to remain open to the counter-forces and, in doing so, be mentored, nurtured, and grounded by them. But the most defiant children are often vilified or diagnosed as disordered, rather than seen as passionate, imaginative geniuses who could revolutionize the world. Using their inherent, combustible abilities, they may either “cleanse by fire” what is no longer needed, or spark ideas and generate potential for the future.

Heilkunst Medicine begins by exploring each person’s core brilliance holistically. Such bright and oppositional children may, according to our constitutional typing methodology, be what we call “A Sulphur Child.”

Heilkunst is an internationally-renowned natural health system established over 200 years ago by the founder of Homeopathy, German physician Samuel Hahnemann. The highest purpose of Heilkunst is to transform disease into greater health via self-discovery. The Heilkunst Constitutional Typologies are comparable to the Five Element Theory (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Metal) in Chinese Medicine, and Ayurvedic Medicine’s Doshas (Vatta, Pitta and Kapha)—they are unique physical, mental, and emotional characteristics that describe our personal tendencies.

The Heilkunst approach examines first the inherited predisposition that makes you a healthy individual (referred to as the “Genotype Constitution”), which expresses our healthy personality vs our imbalanced self. This is done before addressing any layers that may restrict you due to illness or disorder, and to determine what exactly needs to be well supported.

A “Sulphur” (constitutional) type is one of the most misunderstood, wrongly accused, inadequately disciplined, unfortunately suppressed, and underappreciated typologies. Parents of imbalanced Sulphur children generally book appointments desperate to find answers. They describe their child as intense, demanding, loud, impatient, boundaryless, explosive, distractible, defiant, stubborn, impossible, and unfocused. These children are often seen as hyperactive, “bullies or bossy” with siblings/friends, hot-blooded, testing beyond limits, “in their own world,” and wanting what they want, and nothing else. Parents are exhausted and tapped out, attempting to tame this flame that has sucked every ounce of energy they have left. The schools want them medicated, leaving caretakers anxiously and perilously trying to “fix” them.

Through understanding a child’s Genotype Constitution, we can discern what behaviors are grounded in health vs disease. Through this, we can open our hearts to recognizing and respecting the child’s unique needs.

If these behaviors seem resonant to the child’s essence, this can confirm the Constitution. If the parent/caretaker is a Sulphur constitutional type, thriving together will depend on how in balance and grounded they are themselves. If they’re the sensitive type with a tame flame – I extend here a hug as well as some tips on how to help the Sulphur child flourish while maintaining sanity and inner peace.

It is vitally important to understand what is healthy behavior vs what is out of balance. Does this defiant child exhibit personality traits like those of powerful and strong leaders? What is the outcome of certain behaviors? Are they destructive and counterproductive or are they the opposite?

Leaders generally possess personality traits that are regarded as positive and efficient: driven, focused (on what they want), assertive, clever, ingenious, uncompromising, fearless (within the realm of reason), energized, intense/passionate, perceptive, and persistent. In contrast, the following characteristics of destructive behavior can often be attributed to an imbalance in the Sulphur personality type (also known as “too much fire or misplaced heat”) or a disease state: explosive tantrums, inability to make friends, difficulty understanding basic safety principles, incapability to feel pain, anxiety, inefficacy at communicating, and weakness of will (often labeled as laziness).

Once we can determine if there is, in fact, something “wrong” or out of balance with the child, everyone tends to breathe a little easier. There’s an inclination for parents who have been doused in “Sulphur child fire” to get lost within their blaze and see it all as “bad behavior”. It can be difficult to realize that they are not your adversary and you are not at war. Once you realize what is just a level of strength (or will), we can work to implement strategies to help both everyone relax and grow.

Sulphur children are here to teach us some exceptional lessons (as are all children) – Sulphurs, specifically: how to ignite your will, how to make sure you matter and get noticed, how to use your fire and not suppress it, patience (there’s no doubt in that!), balance – work/life balance primarily, stepping out of your comfort zone, improving communication, and more!

We’re not meant to fit inside a box, and Sulphur children are extraordinary and here to make sure we know this. They often won’t do well in controlled systems because their individuality shines bright and they don’t want the restrictions of systematized control. Drugging them is an absolute shame. I’m not unsympathetic – I’m being realistic. Yes, it’s going to be extra work. We will be tested, repeatedly. But the gains of raising strong, independent, free-willed and passionately-loving Sulphur children is a gift that can only be understood and appreciated once it’s been done. In fact, I believe it’s a gift necessary to our very existence. Suppressing this gift will not do us any favors. We need strong-willed leaders to guide us through the fog.

Getting help.

There are multiple natural remedies that can help a Sulphur child that is out of balance tap into their true sense of self – where they can find peace and grounding. Sulphur, as a homeopathic remedy, can be taken to help maintain physical homeostasis and emotional harmony. It’s not going to be easy but it doesn’t have to feel like murder. Constantly feeling guilty about disciplining a Sulphur child is a black hole no one wants to fall into. They need our strength to access theirs. This is why I often recommend parents to get treated as well. If we operate from a victim state – they will “eat us alive”. If we stand strong in our sense of self and remain fierce in our love for them – we can build a better world together and the sky’s not the limit.