The Dandelion Child versus. The Orchid Child

Dandelion Child, refers to the capacity of some children to survive and even thrive in whatever circumstances they encounter, in much the same way that dandelions seem to prosper irrespective of soil, sun, drought, or rain.

Orchid child, might better describe the context-sensitive individual, whose survival and flourishing is intimately tied, like that of the orchid, to the nurturant or neglectful character of the environment. In conditions of neglect, the orchid promptly declines, while in conditions of support and nurture, it is a flower of unusual beauty.