Your Child's Personality

Before I had kids of my own I never really thought much about their personality. Not in regards to them having much of one as babies anyway. I mean all babies do is eat, sleep and poop right. Gianna certainly fit that mold. Sure she had her moments where we could get a good giggle outta her and the occasional smile but it wasn't until she was about 6 months old that her personality really started to emerge. Then I had Ethan and this little man had a personality from day one. While extremely fussy and cranky I said he was also an old soul. He would just stare at everything, taking it all in with a serious look on his face. And from about one month on this little man had the most expressive facial expressions I've ever seen on a baby. He babbles and gurgles more than Gianna ever did and especially lately has become such a smiley, happy baby.

It wasn't until I came across these books though that I realized that the way Gianna and Ethan were as babies and are today are all a part of their unique personalities. And according to these books there are five main types. The books I'm talking about are Secrets of the baby whisperer and secrets of the baby whisperer for toddlers by Tracy Hogg. These are some great books

The author classifies babies and toddler's into 5 main personality types. OF course she states that a child's personality is constantly changing and a child may fit into one, two or even all five types depending on the day. She also states that we should never classify a child as any one type and use it to make excuses. Such as oh she's a touchy baby so she's shy. That's why she acts like that. If your looking for a good read on babies or toddlers I suggest picking up one of these books.

In the meantime here are the five personality types and some of their traits

Angel- Very social. Immediately comfortable in groups and can fit into most situations. Devs language earlier than peers and is clearer in making needs known. Go with the flow. Adapts well. Baby's cues are easy to read. She feeds, plays and sleeps well and usually doesn't cry when waking up.

The textbook baby- The predictable baby. Fairly easy to handle. He does everything on cue and reaches all milestones right on schedule. He can play on his own for a little bit and will smile when someone smiles at him. Though he has cranky periods he is easy to calm.

The touchy baby- Ultrasensitive. Flinches at loud noises. Blinks or turns his head from bright lights. Cries for no apparent reason. Gets fussy easily, especially if too many people have held him or after too many outings. This baby likes to suck a lot. Naps and nurses erratically. Anything can throw this baby for a loop.

The Spirited baby- This baby emerges from the womb knowing what she's like and dislikes. They are very vocal and may even seem aggressive. Her body language tends to be jerky. If she starts crying and the crying isn't interrupted it's like the point of no return.

The Grumpy baby- The old soul. This baby is mad at the world and lets you know it. These babies may hate baths, and dislike being changed. Grumpy babies tend to get very angry and their cries are long and loud

After reading these books and taking the personality quizes I have determined that Gianna is an angel/textbook baby and Ethan is a touchy baby. After Ethan was born I would get frustrated wandering why he wasn't like his sister as a baby. But after reading this book and learning more about his personality it has helped put things into perspective. Different babies react to and handle things differently. You can't expect them to be the same.

I love my angel and touchy baby!