As a parent, have you ever wondered about your baby’s temperament? You should be concerned and thoughtful about this if you desire to become an effective parent. For most parents, days or even hours after the infants are born, they already reach conclusions about the babies’ temperament. They may describe them as fussy or relaxed, sensitive or curious. For years, pediatrician and psychologists paid little attention to parents’ very early description of their babies, dismissing them as wishful thinking or ingenuousness.
Through years of study on the temperament of the babies proved that these parents were indeed right. Temperament is a description of how a child reacts to the world around her. It is a personal style. For example, while all babies become upset and cry, some do so frequently and in many situations, while others seldom and in only a few situations.
Some babies seem to take changes in stride; others become distressed at the slightest shift in their routine. This means that some are more “difficult” to handle than others. But no matter what the temperament your baby has, the parent will find it easier to adjust to the baby’s style rather than fight it.
Needless to say, your “fussy and hard-to-please” baby deserves a wonderful gift like any other babies. How to choose the best gifts for her depends on your understanding of the standard dimensions that psychologists use to study children’s temperaments, to wit:
Activity level. Is your baby generally squirmy and active or relaxed and laid back? (There is some evidence that very active newborns are the ones that mothers complained about as kicking a lot before they were born!)
Regularity. How predictable are your baby’s eating and sleeping cycles?
Approach/Withdrawal. How does your baby respond to new situations and people? Does she brighten up when she sees something new or does she recoil?
Adaptability. How well does your baby handle changes in her schedule or minor disruptions in her activities? If she becomes upset, does she recover quickly?
Sensory Threshold. How sensitive is your baby to bright lights, loud noises or scratchy clothes?
Mood. Does your baby appear to be basically happy or generally upset and angry?
Intensity. How loud is your baby when she’s either excited or unhappy? Does she seem extroverted or subdued?
Distractibility. If your baby is hungry, for example, can you stop her crying temporarily by talking to her quietly or giving her a pacifier?
Persistence. Does your baby play with a single toy for a long time, or does she prefer to go quickly from toy to toy?
Dealing with your baby in a manner that is responsive to her temperament may help you prevent occurrence of behavior problems or address those that are already manifested at an early age. For example, if your baby has a low sensory threshold, you may notice that she startles and cries when a radio or a light in her room is turned on. But the signs may be more subtle than that.
She might reject a bottle because it’s either too warm or too cold. She might push away from you or scream when you pick her up because she is so sensitive to touch. Temperament might explain why a child like this doesn’t like to be rocked to sleep – it’s just too stimulating – while another child with a different temperament might love it.
Now that you are consciously aware of the baby’s temperament, the next time you choose a gift for her, buy one that will surely appeal to her and one that she would not throw away. For your baby who is so sensitive to scratchy clothes, choose a cute romper or a set of pink tee and shorts made of very soft cotton. ENJOY SHOPPING!
For the best educational baby gifts, visit Simply Unique Baby Gifts where you will find a large selection of baby gift baskets for boy, girls, unisex and twins.
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