

School break: the different temperamental traits of a child and advice for adapting well
01 March, 2022
School Break: How to Adapt to Your Child's Temperament
Spring break is either a long-awaited relaxing week,
or chaotic days that seem to sow discord within the family!
Several factors can influence how you experience these seven days of
dropout, including your child's temperament.
Every child is born with a temperament, which is a bit like their number.
standard. We don't choose a temperament; we all arrive with this "little
baggage" that is specific to us and we evolve with it. Temperament is the
basis of our personality, which changes and develops over time.
Why is this a relevant concept here?
The main traits that characterize a child's temperament:
1- The level of motor activity
This dimension refers, for example, to the proportion of active and inactive periods during the day . It also refers to the level of motor activity during different daily activities, such as bathing, eating, playing or even dressing the child.
2- The rhythmicity or regularity of biological functions
This is about the predictability or unpredictability of different physiological needs and rhythms such as eating, sleeping or natural needs.
3- Approach and withdrawal
These elements concern the initial reaction to a new situation , whether it is a new food, a new toy or a new person . Approach will be manifested by an expression of positive mood (a smile or a vocalization) or by a motor behavior (for example trying to catch the new toy). Withdrawal will be manifested by negative emotions (crying,
grimacing or screaming) or by motor escape behaviors (for example turning one's head away from an unknown person or pushing away the new object).
4- Adaptability
In this case, it is not a question of the first reaction to the unknown, but of the ability or not to adapt to changes . For example, is the child able to modify his behavior to adapt to a new situation?
5- The threshold of sensory reactivity
It is the level of intensity required for an external stimulation to produce a significant reaction from the child , whether it is the intensity of a noise to cause crying, the level of brightness causing dazzling or the degree of texture of an item of clothing causing discomfort to the child.
6- The intensity of reactions
This is about the level of intensity, not the external stimulation, but the child's reactions . For example, if the child doesn't like the food, does he just turn his head away or does he throw a tantrum? If the child wants to be held, will he whine or scream?
7- The quality of mood
This criterion refers to the proportion of positive emotional reactions, such as joy or friendly behaviors that are expressed in the child's smiles or vocalizations, compared to negative emotional reactions such as crying or being angry. Is the child more often content or does he or she more often seem frustrated?
8- Distractibility
This involves assessing how easily external stimuli distract the child from the activity in progress . For example, does a baby who is drinking from a bottle suddenly stop because he hears a noise? Or conversely, can a child who is impatient while waiting for his bottle be easily distracted by a toy or does he continue to cry no matter what is offered?
9- Attention span or perseverance
Attention span refers to the length of time a child is interested in a particular activity . For example, can a child play with the same object for a long time, or does he or she get bored quickly? Persistence is the ability to continue an activity when an obstacle interferes with the activity. For example, how long does a child reach for an out-of-reach object before losing interest in the object?
Do you recognize your child among these traits? The goal here is not to label, but to be able to better understand certain reactions of children in the
but to better support the child. If your child has a high level of activity
motor, he will need to continue to be very active during the school break,
unlike a child who has a lower activity level and will enjoy
to finally be able to take a few days off. A child who has more difficulty adapting to changes in routine may react to the different rhythm of the school break, so it will be necessary to prepare him in advance and not upset him too much
his schedule, even on leave.
A child who is easily distracted may walk in circles more easily during
this school break, while the most persevering will want to undertake
small projects during the week.
The main thing is to know that children's reactions to this
time of year may depend on their innate characteristics, and the
parents who guide the organization of the break according to these elements will not do so
than a pleasant moment and adapted to the needs of their children. On this, good
relax and above all, have fun!
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