Dealing with Different Temperaments!
Now that you have an idea of your child’s temperament, it can be extremely helpful to use that information to help you as you deal with challenging behaviors.
Think about their temperament traits and see what ideas you can come up with that might help you to deal with behaviors that challenge you. I will give you some examples, but since every kid is different, and parents value different things, YOU are going to be the one that can come up with the ideas that will be best for your unique situation.
High Energy
Channel energy into appropriate, fun activities
Child proof the house
Set clear, consistent limits
Provide nutritious snacks to refuel, they tend to snack more than eat big meals
Don’t expect them to sit too long at mealtime
Provide rest periods in the day (even if not sleeping)
Make sure they get plenty of sleep at night
Try to create a calm (not rowdy) atmosphere after dinner, so they can calm down
Intensity
Notice the signs when their intensity is rising
Try to sooth or distract to decrease intensity
Provide them a place to “cool down” if they need to
Teach them what is okay and not okay to do with their intense emotions
Try to keep your voice and manner calm, if you’re intensity increases, so will theirs
Adaptability
Introduce them to new things several times- repetition
Break new things into manageable parts- segmenting
Allow them time to observe before they join in
Give them a heads up about changes before hand
Provide time for transitions during the day
Persistence
Set clear, consistent limits
Offer choices to share control
Provide routines, especially at bed time
Provide rest periods during the day
Teach them how to share control with other kids
Provide reassurance when you are leaving, that you will return
If they test limits, follow through with a logical consequence
Break big jobs into smaller jobs
Give encouragement when they complete the smaller tasks of a big job
Some of these ideas for dealing with different temperaments were gathered from the book "Understanding Temperament" by Lyndall Shick.
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