Parents learn to understand their babies pretty quickly. Within days of the birth, you probably identified the cornerstones of your baby’s personality. You might have described your baby as easy, grumpy or sensitive, depending on the traits you noticed. Few parents realize that these early personality traits are characteristics of their baby’s early temperament that could hold vital clues to their child’s future personality.
Your baby’s temperament refers to various biological patterns and individual differences that determine how the baby responds to the world. Temperament influences your baby’s response to stimuli throughout the day.
Many parents wonder whether temperament is something their baby is born with or whether it results from their child’s early experiences.
Infant temperament influences your child’s personality. Your child might inherit your temperament or be the exact opposite. Your baby’s unique temperament shows in its response to stimuli. Some babies are more fearful than others, and some cry more easily; this all comes down to temperament. Children start to develop personality traits early, and this is due to the temperament they are born with.
Is baby temperament hereditary?
It isn’ fully understood what determines a person’s temperament; we know it’s something a baby is born with. Some babies share their temperament with a parent; others have a unique temperament unlike either parent. The key is to understand your baby’s temperament and use this knowledge to shape your understanding of and interactions with your child.
What are the main types of temperament?
It’s generally agreed that there are three main types of baby temperament: easygoing; slow-to-warm (or sensitive); and active. Not all babies fit neatly into one category; about one third of babies are thought to display characteristics from a mix of baby temperament types.
Although other classifications exist, these are generally considered to represent the main types of temperament in infants:
1. Easy going baby
Easy going babies are generally relaxed, happy and in a positive mood. They adapt easily to changes and new stimuli and are generally easy to soothe when upset. Infants with an easy temperament are considered easy babies.
2. Slow-to-warm or sensitive baby
As the name suggests, children who gave a slow-to-warm temperament might need time to adjust to new situations and people. These babies are generally calm, although they might have negative moods. They are cautious and slow to adapt to new situations and people.
3. Active baby
Babies with active temperaments can be unpredictable when it comes to eating and sleeping schedules, but they have an energy for life, enthusiastically throwing themselves into new experiences. These babies go big when expressing their emotions – both positive and negative. They might get upset easily and be difficult to soothe.
What characteristics make up temperament?
Psychologists generally consider the following personality traits, first identified in the New York Longitudinal Study, when classifying temperament:
1. Activity level
Some babies seem relaxed and happy to sit still, whereas others are more active and squirm to be constantly on the move.
2. Regularity
Some babies keep their parents on their toes by being unpredictable, whereas others will generally nap and eat at consistent times.
3. Approach/withdrawal
This is a big clue as to your baby’s temperament. How does your baby react to new stimuli? Is he or she excited to discover new things and people, or more likely to recoil from the unknown?
4. Adaptability
Some babies adapt quickly to changes or disruptions, whereas others find it more difficult to accept change. Some babies recover quickly after getting upset, whereas others stay unsettled for longer.
5. Sensory threshold
Some babies are more sensitive to loud noises, scratchy clothes and other sensory inputs. Sensitive babies might struggle to fall asleep in new environments and be picky eaters. Babies with a higher sensory threshold can fall asleep anywhere and happily explore new foods.
6. Mood
Some babies are generally happy, whereas others have a more difficult temperament. A baby with a negative mood is generally upset or angry much of the time.
7. Intensity
Some babies are louder than others. Extrovert babies might make a lot of noise to communicate their moods (both good and bad), whereas other babies are more subdued.
8. Distractibility
How easy is it to distract your baby from feeling upset? Can your hungry baby be soothed with a pacifier or other form of comfort, or does she cry until milk reaches her lips? Some babies react to even the slightest discomfort; these babies are often unfairly classified by the general public as ‘difficult babies’.
9. Persistence
Some babies might be fascinated with one toy for some time, but others move quickly between various toys. Babies with low persistence generally move on to the next object whenever they face an obstacle. These babies might also become frustrated more easily.
10. Infant Sleep
Examples of ‘easy’ baby and ‘difficult’ baby
There is no such thing as a difficult child, and this classification comes across as heartless. Parents of so-called difficult babies will tell you that it is a tough job. It is a question of difficult temperament, however, not difficult babies.
Children with an easy temperament will take things in their stride. They don’t get upset as frequently and are easier to soothe when upset. They are confident about joining in with party games and meeting new people, and parents generally receive more positive reactions from their children.
‘Difficult’ babies have irregular sleep patterns, intense reactions, and negative moods. These children could be referred to as spirited or high-needs babies. Parents of so-called difficult children might feel at their wits end; it can also be an isolating parenting experience. It’s believed that around 10% of babies have a challenging temperament, so you are not alone if you are finding parenting tough.
Sensitive baby temperament
Sensitive babies will have temperament traits associated with sensitivity. They might startle easily, struggle to fall asleep in new environments and cry at the slightest discomfort. Babies who are sensitive are often described as ‘fussy’ because they become upset easily and can take a long time to settle. You’ll need extra patience and understanding when parenting a sensitive baby.
Does a baby’s temperament last a lifetime?
According to The Australian Temperament Project, published in 2013, temperament remains relatively stable throughout a child’s life. The research project followed participants from infancy to age 30 and found that very few children radically changed their temperament during that time.
It’s worth noting that fussy babies are likely to stay sensitive, and your life will be easier if you work with your baby’s temperament rather than against it.
Parenting children with more and less reactive temperaments
It’s essential to parent with your baby’s temperament in mind. Unfortunately, children with more challenging temperaments are more susceptible to parenting styles. Although society might tell you to take a ‘tough love’ approach with challenging kids, an authoritative parenting approach will be more beneficial for your child.
According to a 2010 study, children with challenging temperaments are more susceptible to parenting styles than their peers. While these children might benefit from authoritative parenting, they might also struggle when raised with a negative parenting type. When raised with authoritative parents, so-called difficult children might outperform their peers cognitively, academically and socially.
How temperament can affect children and their parents
It’s not just babies who have temperaments; you have one, too. Compatibility between your and your baby’s temperament can affect your relationship. You don’t need to have matching temperaments for a positive relationship; in fact, there are lots of positives in having different temperaments in the family. Psychologists call it ‘goodness of fit’ when a parent’s parenting style matches their child’s temperament. If you have multiple children with different temperaments, you might need to parent them all slightly differently.
For an active child, you might need to pack more activities for a day out or schedule extra opportunities for physical play during the day. For a slow-to-warm children, you might need to spend longer settling them in at nursery, to make sure they are happy in the new environment.
Child temperament types and parenting style
According to the Australian Child Temperament study, parenting style can negatively affect child development. The study found that:
If parents were less child-focused, used physical punishment, or used parenting methods that made their child feel guilty or anxious, children were more likely to remain shy or develop shyness. Those who had been shy as infants were more likely to overcome their shyness if parents were warm and nurturing, did not make them feel guilty or anxious, and did not push them to be independent too soon.
What parents need to know about infant temperament
From very early in your baby’s life, you might see clues as to your baby’s temperament. Understanding baby temperament will give you a greater grasp of your baby’s take on the world. For example, if you have a slow-to-warm baby, you will understand that your baby needs more time to adjust to new situations.
When you know your child’s temperament, you can match your parenting to your child’s needs. This will benefit your child and also make parenting much easier for you.
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