Every kid comes with their personality. Each of them has their ways of approaching people and situations. Family therapists encourage parents to study their children’s temperaments because it describes the child’s adaptability and emotional style. Parents can adapt their parenting style to their child’s personalities.
Why Parents Should Learn About Temperaments
Parents will be able to strategize the best way to connect and handle their children. It also gives them a firmer grasp of their kid’s personality, and parents will appreciate the uniqueness of their child.
With a more in-depth understanding, they can better deal with their child’s skills and limitations. Parents who are aware of their child’s temperament are more prepared in anticipating problems that might trigger the child. They can help the child by guiding and readying him for the challenge he or she will face.
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Temperament
Temperament is a group of innate traits that influence how people approach the world. It is a necessary tool in the development of a child’s personality. It also dictates how children will learn and absorb the world around him. Temperaments do not dictate whether a child is “good” or “bad.” Instead, it influences the child’s perception of whether his actions are “good” or “bad.”
In identifying, your child’s temperament, we look at the nine significant characteristics that signify whether a child is difficult to raise.
Activity Level
This identifier is the level of physical activity and restlessness demonstrated in the child’s behavior based on his daily activities. You may observe if the child can settle down with a quiet, sedentary game. If he is more inclined to play sports, then he has high activity levels. Highly active children can grow their careers in fast-paced environments.
Regularity
Regularity or rhythmicity describes the patterns in the child’s physical functions. This trait is evident in the child’s appetite, sleep patterns, and even bowel movements. For example, parents can anticipate when their child gets hungry throughout the day. Children who do not have predictable habits can grow and thrive in careers with unusual working hours.
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Approach And Withdrawal
This trait determines a child’s initial response to new stimuli. The child may either react rapidly or hesitantly to unfamiliar situations, new people, places, or food. Children who are cautious of strange scenarios tend to think before they act.
Adaptability
Adaptability focuses on how the child responds to changes in routine or transitions. This characteristic enlightens parents on the degree of ease or difficulty with which a child adjusts to new situations. It also involves the child’s ability to modify their reaction towards the change. Children who take a longer time to become comfortable in new cases grow to be less influenced by peer pressure.
Intensity
The child either responds positively or negatively to certain situations. Intensity is the level of energy the child reacts to events. For example, parents can observe when their child gets upset. Does the child tend to get quiet, or do they respond dramatically? More intense children may be gifted with a talent for the arts and may be more in touch with their emotions.
Mood
The degree of pleasantness or unfriendliness observed in a child’s words or behaviors determines their mood. For example, children can view opportunities as half full or half empty. Parents can decide if their child is inclined to look at life more negatively or more positively. Thoughtful children tend to assess situations analytically and carefully.
Attention Span
Attention span or persistence is the ability of the child to concentrate on a task with or without distraction. Children with longer attention spans can focus more compared to those who cannot focus on the task at hand.
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Distractibility
Distractibility is the ease with which a child can concentrate and pay attention when they are not particularly interested in the activity. Some children are easily distracted from a task by environmental stimuli, whether visual or auditory. A child with high distractibility is favorable as the child’s attention can be diverted from unwanted behavior. In a negative light, high distractibility prevents a child from accomplishing assignments.
Sensory Threshold
The sensory threshold is the child’s sensitivity to stimuli like sound, taste, touch, or temperature. It determines what amount of physical stimulation is needed for a child to respond. Some children react with the slightest stimulation, while others need intense amounts of stimuli.
Temperaments help parents get a glimpse of their kid’s personality, triggers, strengths, and weaknesses. Parents can capitalize on these dispositions by guiding and teaching them how to deal with adversities and challenges properly. They can steer kids in the right direction and become people who can adjust to the environment surrounding them.