A BASIC APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION WITH CHILDREN Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament

The most important thing you can do to prevent misbehavior - and to help the children you work with succeed in general - is to develop a genuine, positive relationship with each child. A Basic Approach to Communication with Children Chapter Topics

Your knowledge of the children you work with will help you in your efforts to prevent misbehavior. When you get to know the children, you will better understand what they can do and what they like to do. Understanding this, you will be able to make rules they can follow and plan activities that they will enjoy and learn from. You will also help to prevent the anger, frustration, and shame that often leads to misbehavior. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

A good relationship with you will go a long way in encouraging good behavior. Try these tips to begin a positive relationship with each child you work with: The most important thing you can do to prevent misbehavior - and to help the children you work with succeed in general - is to develop a genuine, positive relationship with each child. Greet the child warmly and let him know you are glad to see him Ask the child about her day Tell the child what you like and admire about him Be as specific as possible in your praise Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

An important part of getting to know the children you work with is getting to know their individual temperaments. Temperament is the physical and emotional traits that children are born with. It affects how they feel inside themselves and how they see and respond to the world. Every child possesses a certain combination of traits and qualities that make him/her unique. Understanding these traits helps child care providers develop effective discipline practices and cultivate positive relationships with the children in their care. Child care methods are most successful when they are attuned to children’s temperaments. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Temperament is a set of characteristics that make up a person’s behavior style and determines how a person copes with life’s challenges. A child’s temperament is present at birth and is the biological factor that influences individuality. Temperament is a child’s nature. It does not govern what children do; it determines how they do it. Temperament dictates how a child manages new situations and interacts with others. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Although personality and temperament are often considered the same thing, they are separate concepts. Temperament is a component of personality. Personality encompasses a person’s intelligence, interests, and capabilities. Temperament is simply a person’s personal style for relating to the world. Temperament affects how children feel and therefore influences how they act. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Certain behaviors, however, are a result of a child’s age and stage of development. What may seem like a challenging temperament may just be a developmentally appropriate response to an event. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Temperament influences children’s interactions with other children and with the adults around them. It can shape the way adults respond to a child. For this reason, temperament has an impact on a child’s relationship to family members. Two children in the same family can be raised differently due to the differences in their interactions with parents. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

A child’s temperament usually remains the same through adulthood. Traits are present at birth and affect a person’s behavior throughout life. Some qualities that are seen as difficult in children are beneficial in adulthood, such as persistence and high activity level. Children do not have the same inhibitions and self-control as adults and are more likely to let their temperaments control their actions. At times, all children surrender to their sensitivities and exhibit negative behaviors. Adults are better equipped to control their responses to upsetting feelings or events. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Children’s behavior varies widely. Each child is an individual with specific likes, dislikes, and needs. Think about the children that you work with: Are one or more of the children very active? Does one child seem to get upset with changes in the schedule? Does another child have a continually sunny disposition? Or perhaps another child happily starts projects, but then wanders off to look out the window or talk to a friend. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... TO BE VERY ACTIVE Activity refers to the amount of energy a child exerts on a regular basis. Active children find it hard to sit still and prefer more vigorous activities during playtime. Active children often avoid naptime and only fall asleep when absolutely exhausted. Plan a variety of activities, including some active games that let children work off their energy. Include physical activity in all kinds of learning activities. For example, if you are teaching children about how trees draw water through their roots, have the group act out the process. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... NOT TO ADAPT WELL Adaptability is a child’s ability to adjust to change. Adaptable children are easy- going and can relax anywhere. They require less time to become comfortable in new surroundings than a child who is less adaptable. Less adaptable children sometimes have strong negative reactions to new situations. They prefer routine and need time to adapt to change. Children are considered slow-to adapt, or slow-to-warm-up, if they are shy and uneasy in new situations. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... NOT TO ADAPT WELL Children in this category often watch things happening around them instead of getting involved directly. They tend to withdraw when faced with change and react slowly to discomfort. Tell the children "In 15 minutes we are going outside to play tag. Get to a stopping place in your projects." Then five minutes later, remind children they should be cleaning their work area. If a change in schedule is coming up, talk to children about it several days in advance. For example, on Monday, say, "We're going to the fire department on Thursday," and tell them about the things they will see. Then remind them of their trip on Tuesday and Wednesday. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... TO BE MOODY Mood refers to a child’s general disposition. Mood determines if a child behaves in a pleasant, friendly manner or is more reserved and detached. Some children are optimistic, while others focus on negativity and tend to analyze everything. More serious children are comforted when parents and caregivers address their concern and help them understand why they are upset. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... TO BE MOODY Understand that children's overall mood influences their reaction to things. For example, a child with a more negative mood may really have enjoyed a field trip, but may not express his enjoyment as loudly or clearly as a more positive child. Ask children questions that help them focus on the positive aspects of things. For example, ask "What did you like best about our field trip?" Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... TO BE EASILY DISTRACTED Distractibility is the likelihood that a child will be distracted by outside stimuli. Distractible children are very aware of things happening around them. They require silence and calm in order to complete tasks. Children with difficult temperaments are very active and easily distracted. They respond strongly to discomfort and can be difficult to console. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

If a child tends.... TO BE EASILY DISTRACTED Adults caring for children with difficult temperaments should remain calm and be consistent with rules and expectations. Children in this category benefit from regular daily routines. Difficult temperaments usually become less intense as children age. Provide a quiet area without pictures or windows for doing homework or reading. Recall children's attention to activities with prompts. For example, say "Megan, we have four colors of paint. What color are you going to paint your flowerpot?" Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

A child's temperament influences how easy or hard it is for them to adjust to the child care setting. For example, a very active child would have a harder time sitting still to do her homework or to listen to a story. If she were asked to be quiet and sit still for a long time, she would probably become restless and frustrated. Keep the temperaments of the children you work with in mind as you think about the environment, activities, and rules of your program. How easy or hard is it for children of different temperaments to succeed in the environment? Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

Understanding temperament is important to embracing a child’s individuality and teaching him/her how to deal with challenges. It is vital that parents and caregivers accept children for who they are, so that children learn to accept themselves. Knowledge of a child’s temperament allows caregivers to make adjustments and reduce the child’s stress. Temperament helps explain a child’s behavior and academic performance. When caregivers understand what motivates a child to behave in a certain way, they are better equipped to intervene. Chapter 3 Adapting to Children’s Temperament A Basic Approach to Communication with Children

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