All of us are born with a distinct personality type and unique characteristics. Understanding and knowing your child’s personality type can be very helpful in guiding them and nurturing them as they grow. It may even help you spot behavioural problems early on and nip them in the bud.
Every child has a unique personality that influences their behaviour from their toddler years. For instance, a more adventurous or inquisitive child might start crawling or walking earlier, whereas a reserved one may take longer to explore the world around them.
The first step to understanding your child’s behaviour is identifying their personality type. Here’s how:
The 4 Broad Personality Types
Hippocrates categorised personalities into four broad types and you may notice your child expressing characteristics belonging to different groups. As such, you should not group your child’s personality type into strict categorisation. However, more often than not, your child may show qualities of one specific personality type more prominently than another. Read on as we share more.
1. Choleric
A child with this personality type is typically more passionate about the things they love, outspoken, competitive, strong-willed and determined. They like to have a desire to be in control of things, as such, they can be impulsive and angry very quickly or easily when things do not go their way.
Parents with children of this personality type should get their child to work on self-control, humility and personality responsibility as opposed to blaming others. Anger is a form of control for the child. Hence parents must choose their battles wisely, stay in control and always remain calm – try to avoid letting your child argue, debate or negotiate their way out of something with you. At the same time, you should also listen well to your child’s point of view, teach them to compromise and provide age-appropriate so as to bond with them properly on a deeper level.
2. Sanguine
Children with sanguine personality types are generally carefree, optimistic, adventurous and unafraid of risks. In social settings, they may be very lively, imaginative, talkative and also friendly, as such, they can be well-liked by everyone. However, they need to be constantly entertained as they may get bored easily.
Sanguine children tend to also be more disorganised and require more attention as well as affection. This may lead to them becoming conflict-avoidant to please others. Hence, parents should work consistently with their child to be more accountable for their actions, teach them how to set boundaries and healthy ways to handle conflicts.
3. Melancholic
These children tend to be deep and brooding. They are also respectful and careful, at the same time, they are also pleasant and helpful. However, they are not as adventurous or as much of a risk-taker compared to other personality types. You may also notice your child asking a lot of “why” questions and expecting a correct answer out of them.
As a parent, if you find your child asking a lot of “what if” or “why” questions, remind them these things should not be their primary focus as they haven’t happened yet. You can also show your Melancholic child flexibility through your actions and let them know that it is okay when things do not go as planned.
4. Phlegmatic
Phlegmatic-personality type children are thoughtful, attentive, controlled and diplomatic. Humour and joy come relatively easy to them. While the Choleric lives for action, the Sanguine for attention, Melancholic for perfection, Phlegmatic children are easily content with sitting quietly and appreciating the world around them.
Generally, phlegmatics are more passive, making their temperament difficult to understand. Thus, parents should always ensure that their child feels appreciated and loved whilst still giving them ample quality and quiet time. As this personality type tends to be “slow”, it is important not to criticise them. Instead, provide them with space to process and react in their own time, but also motivate them to get started on the more important things.
Nurture Your Child’s Personality Type With MindChamps Preschool
In conclusion, it is important to remember that their children do not always have the same personality type and temperament like their parents. Hence, no two parenting and discipline techniques should be the same either.
In addition to understanding them and accommodating to your child’s personality type at home, you can also enrol them into a preschool program that can help them maximise their unique strengths and abilities. At MindChamps Preschool, our experienced teachers will understand your child’s needs and tailor their approach to meet them. Contact us today to learn more about our programs.
Book a tour at any of our centres in various locations across the country and find out more about our unique pedagogy and methodology!