Understanding Temperament

and Establishing

“Goodness of Fit”

Each one of you has inside of yourself an image of the child

that directs you as you begin to relate to each.

This theory or belief within you pushes you to behave in certain

ways; it orients you as you talk to the child, listen to the child

and observe the child. It is very difficult for you to act contrary

to this internal image.

Your image of each child is different based on what you believe

about them. You will behave differently based on this belief.

The quality and quantity of relationships among us as

caregivers reflects our image of each child.

Your Image of the Child

What does Temperament have to do with the image we create of each

child?

“Who Is My Child” Video

http://www.readyforlife.org/videos/whoismychild/

A Caregiver’s Story

18 month old Sophia enrolled in Mrs. L’s family day care

program a few weeks ago. Mrs. L, however, is having

difficulty integrating Sophia successfully into her program.

Sophia’s schedule is unpredictable—she becomes tired or

hungry at different times each day—is very active, gets

upset during transitions, and often results in tantrums.

After several weeks of observing little change in

Sophia’s behaviors, Mrs. L is frustrated.

Sophia’s unpredictable napping and feeding times, as

well as her constant need for physical activity and

intense reactions during transitions, are making

responsive care for all the other children difficult to

provide!

Think-Pair-Share Activity:

Mrs. L is not sure if Sophia is a really good fit for her program?

Have you ever had a child in your program that presented such difficulties?

In the case of Sophia what would you recommend to this provider?

The story continues…

Mrs. L decided to make a home visit. Once there she

learns that Sophia’s parents have not had difficulty

with the issues she describes.

When she asks specifically about her schedule, her

parents describe Sophia as being a good eater and

sleeper, but do report that she doesn’t have a

consistent schedule for eating or napping.

They also share that Sophia’s activity level is typically

not an issue because they have a large backyard and

Sophia has siblings who often include her in their active

play.

Still, all of the adults are concerned about Sophia’s lack

of success transitioning into Mrs. L’s program, and

desire to find a way to help her.

Maybe taking a look at Sophia’s temperament style might be

worthwhile?

What Is Temperament ?

• A child’s temperament describes the way in which they

approach and respond to the world. It is their personal

“style.”

• Temperament influences a child’s behavior and the way

they interact with others.

• While temperament does not clearly define or predict

behavior, understanding a child’s temperament can help

providers and families better understand how young

children respond and relate to the world around them.

Information about temperament can guide parents and

caregivers to identify children’s strengths and the supports

they need to succeed in their relationships and environments.

There are 3 basic temperament styles and they are

determined by the mix of 9 different traits. Each of us is a

combination of these traits and thus our approach to the world

is different and unique.

9 Temperament Traits

Researchers have described young children’s temperament by depicting several different traits. These traits address:

•A child’s level of activity,

•Their adaptability to daily routines,

•Their response to new situations,

•Their mood,

•The intensity of their reactions,

•Their sensitivity to what’s going on around them,

•How quickly they adapt to changes, and

•How distractible and persistent they are when engaging in an

activity.

It is suggested that approximately 60% of all children fit into one of three

temperament types: easy, active or slow-to warm-up. The remaining 40%

reflect a combination of more than one.

Easy or flexible children tend to be happy, regular in sleeping and eating habits,

adaptable, calm, predictable in their behavior and are not easily upset.

Active or feisty children are often fussy, irregular in feeding and sleeping habits,

fearful of new people and situations, easily upset by noise and stimulation,

intense in their reactions and low in adaptability.

Slow to warm-up or cautious children are often less active , tend to be fussy,

may withdraw or react negatively to new situations; yet over time can become

more positive with repeated exposure to a new person, object, or situation.

3 Basic Temperament Types

When you think about Sophia’s reactions and the behaviors

she exhibits in Mrs. L’s care, what temperament traits

would you say Sophia has?

How would you characterize Sophia’s temperament?

What temperament type do you think Ms. L is?

Considering that we all have inborn temperament traits do

you think that Ms. L and Sophia can possibly develop

“Goodness of Fit”?

Think-Pair-Share Activity

Turn to the person next to you and discuss:

Why is your Temperament and the temperament of each child in your

care worth considering ?

How might temperament information empower you as a caregiver and strengthen

your program?

• Since temperament is apparently inborn and reflects how we each approach the world, awareness of each child’s temperament traits can help you better understand children’s individual differences.

• By understanding temperament, you can learn how to help children express their preferences, desires, and feelings appropriately.

• You can also use their understanding of temperament to

avoid blaming themselves or a child for reactions that are normal for that particular child.

• Most importantly, you can learn to anticipate issues before they occur and avoid frustrating themselves and the child by using approaches that do not match their temperament.

Why Is Awareness Temperament Valuable?

The story continues…

During the home visit Mrs. L observed that Sophia

runs inside and outside her home with few

limitations.

Sophia’s home appears to be a relaxed

environment, where the children eat when they

want, and her mother responds to Sophia’s hunger

or need for sleep upon demand versus having a

regular schedule.

In contrast, Mrs. L’s program functions on a very

consistent schedule. Mrs. L has limited space both

indoors and out and is challenged by the variety of

needs of children in her care.

While Sophia’s family’s pattern of behavior seems

to be a match to her temperament, Mrs. L’s home

currently does not represent a “good fit” for

Sophia.

An important concept in caregiving that supports healthy

social-emotional development of children is the notion of

“goodness of fit.”

Sophia’s activity level, intensity, and unpredictability may

reflect a mismatch between her temperament and Mrs. L’s

caregiving style and environment.

Though the child and adult may approach the world very

differently caregivers can improve “goodness of fit” by

adapting their approach, to better meet the needs of the

child.

What is “Goodness of Fit” and How can We Improve it?

You can use knowledge of temperament in many ways to support positive social-emotional

development of the infants and toddlers in your care.

Using temperament information as a tool for understanding is a win-win strategy. The more you know about it the more responsive your caregiving

can be.

Note- using temperament information as a tool to support understanding is a process…

The Process of Using What You Know About Temperament to Promote Positive Social-

Emotional Development and Behavior

The Process continued:

Using temperament as a tool begins by reflecting on your own temperament traits and preferences.

Understanding your own temperament can help you to identify the “goodness of fit” for each child in your care.

Knowing more about your own temperament traits will also help you to take the child’s perspective. For example, a caregiver who enjoys loud music, and a lot of activity might try to imagine what it would feel like to spend all day in a setting that was calm, and quiet.

This reflective process can help you become more attuned to the experience of each child within your care.

Additionally you can more easily determine what adjustments might be needed to create a “better fit” for each child.

The Process cont.

Creating open dialogue and meaningful partnerships with families leads to increased understanding of each child’s temperament.

We encourage you as a caregivers to share what you have learned about temperament with the families you serve and provide information about temperamental traits.

To identify individual temperament traits, ask parents to help you describe their child’s activity level, response to new situations, persistence, distractibility, adaptability, mood, intensity, sensitivity, and regularity. In this way you can learn about the child’s temperament and the family’s cultural values.

Work with families to them identify their child’s temperament style.

Refrain from judging a child’s temperamental traits as “good” or “bad” behavior, and work with parents to clarify each child’s individualized approach to the world through a positive lens.

It is Valuable for Caregivers to Understand the contribution each child’s temperament makes to the

group

For example:

• The active , spirited or feisty children are often leaders and or initiators of play!

• A slow to warm-up or cautious child may observe situations carefully and help you notice things you hadn’t seen before!

• The flexible or easy child may take new play partners on easily!

• You can support each child’s self concept by recognizing, valuing, and integrating the unique traits that each child has, rather than trying to change a child’s them.

Take time to share with families what you have learned about developing “goodness of fit,” with their child and mention strategies that have proven to be successful.

As you learn which traits are highly valued by each family, you can partner with them to determine an appropriate balance between the child’s temperament, the family’s preferences, and the policies of your program.

Recognize how quality caregiving practices support all children’s development, yet certain practices might be especially valuable for certain temperament types.

There are several good sites on the internet that offer recommended strategies for working each temperament type.

So what about Sophia?

The story continues…

So what did Mrs. L do…?

Mrs. L reflected on her own temperament and how it might affect the children in her care, each of whom exhibited distinctively different temperaments.

Mrs. L realized that she values a predictable schedule and is most drawn to calming, quiet activities.

By developing a partnership with Sophia’s family, she learned more about Sophia’s home and her unique temperament traits. She was then able to better understand why Sophia may have reacted the way she did while in her care.

She made the decision to work on adapting her program to better reflect Sophia’s temperamental style.

Caregiving Adaptations to Support “Goodness of Fit.”

Mrs. L organized additional outdoor play and active opportunities into her schedule for Sophia.

She observed Sophia closely and learned to recognize her need to sleep or eat, and made accommodations to individualize eating and sleeping schedules for her.

She offered Sophia many advance reminders when transitions were about to take place, and was patient and understanding when Sophia experienced intense emotions.

Soon, Sophia appeared to be much more comfortable in

Mrs. L’s family child care home, and was able to better

use her energy to build strong and positive

relationships with Mrs. L and the other children.

Through understanding her own temperament, the temperament of the children,

and their parents’, Mrs. L created an environment that better met all everyone’s

needs.

Ultimately, the temperament tools that she used (including: increased knowledge

and understanding of temperament, reflection, discussion, observation and

adaptations) positively impacted her own experience, the experience of Sophia and

the other children in her care.

Guidance on strategies that support “Goodness of Fit” between a child and their

caregivers is free and available on-line. One specific temperament tool that has

proven to be user friendly and informative is the IT3 (Head Start Center for Early

Childhood Mental Health Consultation- (CECMHC) Temperament Tool.

http://www.ecmhc.org/temperament/

Temperament Tool

For Use With Families

Demonstration of the IT3 Temperament Tool

http://www.ecmhc.org/temperament/

Please see handout for example of IT3 Tool and Examples of Results

The IT3 Temperament Tool For Your Own Use and For Use With Families