No one trait is “good” or “bad” but some are definitely more difficult. Knowing your child’s temperament can help you raise your child and eliminate differences between you as a parent and child.
There are certain attributes that are considered more positive or negative, but every attribute has certain positive characteristics. It is important as a parent that you focus on the positive attributes even as you help your child deal with the negative.
The table below can help you determine how easy or difficult your child is to raise, as well as possible positive behavior, of the child who possesses a difficult level of the trait.
| Temperament Traits & Behavior | Easy | Difficult |
|---|---|---|
| Activity Level (how active your child is) Children who are highly active may channel their energy into sports, perform well in high-energy careers, or keep up with many responsibilities. | Low | High |
| Distractibility (degree of concentration) Being distractible is positive when you want to divert a child from undesirable behavior. It is negative when it prevents a child from completing work. | Low | High |
| Intensity (how loud your child is) Children who are intense will get their needs met. They may be gifted in dramatic arts. The downside is they are often exhausting to live with. | Low | High |
| Regularity (predictability of physical functions) As an adult those with irregular biological clocks will be more likely to adapt to unusual working hours or jobs that require travel. | Regular | Irregular |
| Sensory Threshold (how sensitive to physical sensations) Those who are highly sensitive are more likely to be artistic and creative. | Low | High |
| Approach/Withdrawal (how your child responds to new situations) Withdrawal children tend to think before they act and exhibit less impulsivity during adolescence. | Approach | Withdrawal |
| Adaptability (how easily your child adapts to transitions) A child who adapts slowly is less likely to get into dangerous situations and be influenced by their peers. | Good | Poor |
| Persistence (inability to give up) When a child won’t stop doing an activity when asked, he is labeled as stubborn, yet the same child is labeled patient when completing a difficult puzzle. A child who is persistent is more likely to reach goals. A child with low persistence may look to others for help thereby developing strong social skills. | Low | High |
| Mood (whether your child reacts positively or negatively) Children who are serious, and may look more at the negative, tend to evaluate things carefully and be more analytical. | Positive | Negative |
Most children lie somewhere in between easy and difficult. Once you know your child’s temperament traits you can adjust your parenting styles so that they fit your child and help resolve current and future conflicts.
For more information about the temperament traits read my blog The 9 Temperament Traits.
For more information about how to deal with your child’s temperament read my upcoming blog titled Nurturing Your Child’s Temperament.