The Child Whisperer

The Child Whisperer is a book by Carol Tuttle.  I'm not big on self-help books and new-agey froo froo talk annoys me.  But psychology fascinates me--no, I did not major in it--and ideas to help me better parent my children interest me.  Also, I just like to learn.  So if I can read a book and glean even a little wisdom from it, I consider it time well spent.

This is the first self-help book that was jaw-dropping for me.

Carol describes four different personality types, and uses Type with a capitol T.  In this book, she's describing children, and it's geared toward parents (teachers, grandparents) who are trying to understand their children, these personality types carry into adulthood.  Here are brief summaries (taken word for word from her intro):

Type 1: The Fun Loving Child (Isaiah, left)
Primary Connection to the World: Social
Primary Movement: Bouncy and random
Primary Need: To have fun and happy parents
May be described as: animated, fun, bright, light-hearted, friendly
May be negatively judged as: flighty, hyperactive, unreliable





Type 2: The Sensitive Child (Madeleine, right)
Primary Connection to the World: Emotional
Primary Movement: Subtle and Thoughtful
Primary Need: To have feelings honored and everyone in the family feel loved and connected
May be described as: tender, gentle, kind, thoughtful
May be negatively judged as: wimpy, shy, hyper-sensitive

Type 3: The Determined Child (Noah & John, left)
Primary Connection to the World: Physical
Primary Movement: Active and determined
Primary Need: To be challenged and have new experiences with support of their parents
May be described as: Strong, active, persistent, energetic
May be negatively judged as: Pushy, loud, demanding


Type 4: The More Serious Child (Morgan & Maria)
Primary Connection to the World: Intellectual

Primary Movement: Straightforward and exact
Primary Need: To be respected by their parents and family members and respect them in return
May be described as: Thorough, efficient, responsible, analytical
May be negatively judged as: Critical, judgmental, know-it-all


These are the summaries of each Type, matched with pictures of my own children where they fit.  Reading about Type 4 was eye-opening for me; it was reading about myself with detail I hadn't been able to express.

This is fascinating stuff!
More later.