Temperament
Parenthood opened many doors to strange lands. Across unfamiliar terrain I walked, tripping over every bump on my path. Without a map or compass to guide me, I searched and searched for answers. Navigating the way was my brand new ball of energy; he crawled and climbed every waking minute of the day, when he wasn’t moving he was babbling.
Crawling at 5 months of age, walking before 10 months of age, running before his first Birthday and climbing was his favorite sport. My little guy never stopped, his naps were short-lived, he had endless curiosity, was persistent to no end, and needed to be in my presence 24/7. Okay, I have to admit that I was worried and I felt incompetent as a parent, a parent who worked as a Child and Family Therapist.
On the last day of my never-ending search, I found an amazing book. The title made me stop, “Raising Your Spirited Child”. Spirited, that described my little guy perfectly and as I read through the book I saw him on every page.
Learning about temperament gave me a complete paradigm shift. It changed my parenting, my relationships with others, and it changed how I worked with people in my private practice. We are all born with a combination of nine different temperament traits. These traits are with you for life. The combination of these traits and how you were raised forms your personality. If your parenting matches the temperament of your child, your child grows-up with a strong sense of self, positive coping skills and your relationship with your child will feel respectful and mindful.
Interested in learning more about Temperament, our next workshop runs on Sunday, January 29th. Go to www.seedsofdiscovery.ca to reserve your spot.
