Parenting Based On Your Toddler’s Personality Type

Human beings are different from each other, and it is their most distinguishing trait. Everyone has unique habits and preferences. And if you look closely, you will realize that most of these preferences are based on temperament, something which can be recognized during the early years of life. The best thing about recognizing temperamental changes is that it allows you to have a parenting insight.

What is Temperament?

Temperament is a built-in quality of your child and, thus, an essential personality trait. How easily your kid adapts to the experiences and environment around them depends significantly on their temperament. It is the temperament that differentiates a quiet kid from the one that tends to jump and grab a chandelier above the dining table.

The temperament can shift a bit as your kid has new life experiences. However, this trait generally solidifies by the time your kid reaches school age.

Traits of Temperament

To determine the temperament of your kid, you will need to look at the particular characteristics they may inhibit in their daily life. Here are a few things that can help you identify your kid’s temperament.

• Adaptability
• Activity level
• The way they approach or withdraw
• Things that cause them to get distracted
• Emotional sensitivity
• Persistence
• Mood quality
• Sensory sensitivity
• Regularity

Identifying these traits of your kid can help you develop a bespoke parenting style and that too pretty easily.

Three Temperament Profiles

Generally, a kid will belong to one of the three temperament profiles, which we are going to discuss in the remaining part of this article. Identifying which group your kid belongs to can help you formulate the parenting attitude for their ultimate benefit.

1- The Happy Child

These kids make up 40% of young fellows in the world. Parents of such children can be a real pain in the neck as they always boast about the easygoing nature of their kids. Good thing for them, they never take such statements seriously and remain busy with their life experiences. On the surface, these children may seem calm, but they are pretty emotional from the inside.

The problem with easy-going kids is that they tend to be overlooked among children who show extreme emotions. The best way to deal with such kids is to pay them the attention they deserve and prevent them from getting submerged into their imaginary world.

2- The Slow-To-Warm Kid

These kids like much exposure. They are generally quite sensitive and carry some traits of shyness from their childhood. These kids resist change and show strong emotions in response to rejections. In general, they are more cautious kids. The slow-to-warm kids are 15 percent of all children worldwide.

If you are a parent of a slow-to-warm kid, you have to make sure that you give them plenty of time to sort things their way. These kids want to process everything before adapting to it. Therefore, it is vital to provide them with a stable structure to ensure they do not fall apart.

3- The Wild Kid

You can call a wild kid the little monster because they are furious little beings who want to climb everywhere, break everything, yell at everyone, and then cry when they are done yelling. So if you are a parent to one of such kids, your primary instinct would be to either get out of the indoors or allow them to circle in the yard yelling with everything they have got in their lungs. Eventually, they run out of energy and become calm.

And sure, it is quite possible that none of these temperament profiles fully fit your kid. In such a scenario, your kid’s behavior will probably have traits from multiple temperament profiles.

But regardless of which group your kid belongs to, it is imperative to model their personality so they could be a valuable addition to society.

Tips To Develop Your Kid’s Personality

Unfortunately, many parents believe that lecturing children about do’s and don’ts is what they can do to model their children’s personalities. This cannot be further from the truth, as children do not pick values from lectures. What they actually do is mirror your behavior and that of the people around them. Therefore, if you want to develop your kid’s personality constructively, your best bet is to adopt the personality traits that you want in your kid.

Here are some ways to be a good parent and role model for your children.

1- Refrain from Labeling

It is easy to brand your child for their certain shortcomings. But the worst part of it is that they will start believing that they indeed hold those negative properties. When you label your kids, they tend to become stubborn and reject every attempt you make to correct their faults. Therefore, it is always imperative to be careful with your words, especially when you are trying to rectify any fault in your kids.

2- Be a Good Listener

Toddlers try to express their feeling by talking. It is usually the time when their language skills are developing. Your job as parents is to listen to them patiently and make them believe that you are always there to address their concerns. Not only does this give them confidence, but they also develop the habit of listening to others patiently.

3- Avoid Comparing

Comparing your kids with their peers, relatives, and other people is one of the most effective recipes for a personality disaster. When you tell your kids they are not as good as their cousins, they start to believe they are not good enough. As a result, they get confused about themselves and mimic others to prove their competence. Respecting your kid’s individuality is imperative if you want them to become confident.

Don’t be Harsh on Their Shortfalls

Most parents want their kids to excel at everything and set high expectations, especially when it comes to their academics. The problem here is that such parents do not hold back from showing sheer disappointment when their children do not keep up well to meet those expectations. Remember, every child comes with a different capability. As parents, you have to ensure that your child does their best with that capability. To do that, you have to be gentle with their mistakes so they do not lose their confidence.

Limit Their Screen Time

Handing a tablet or phone to your child may be an easy way to turn off their tantrum, but this approach can prove harmful in the long run. According to research, too much screen time can impact a child’s intellectual and social capabilities. The best way to divert their attention from the screen is to engage them in physical activities. Take them to the play fields and let them play with other children. Not only will this improve their physical health, but they will also learn to interact with real people in the real world.

Be a Role Model

Your children would do everything you do. This brings an immense parenting responsibility upon you. Your children will mimic everything from brushing your teeth to managing your books to your general behavior. Therefore, if you want your children to have a positive attitude towards everything in their lives, you have to make sure that you have an attitude. In short, be sure to practice what you preach.

Summing Up

Remember, personality development is not an overnight process. You have to push your agenda subtly to get lasting results. This will require persistence, a good attitude, and a willingness to contribute to your society by raising valuable individuals.