Learning to Tolerate Frustration and Delay Gratification
It’s hard to wait! It can be hard for adults, and it’s even harder for young children. Psychologist Walter Mischel and colleagues have spent decades
Every child is unique. We are each born with a special combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits that influences how we approach the world. Temperament is like a one-of-a-kind blueprint for each child.
We all recognize aspects of temperament in our children, often from very early on:
Developmental scientists call this set of tendencies temperament. Decades of research confirms that our genes play an important role in determining a child’s temperament, and that temperament is relatively stable across a range of situations and over time. Research also shows us, however, that temperament is not a child’s destiny. Just as a blueprint is the initial design but is subject to change as a home is built and lived in, temperament can change over time.
Why does it matter to know our child’s temperament? By learning about our child’s temperament tendencies, we are better able to understand and empathize with them. We can learn to adapt our parenting choices to meet the child where they are, and over time, we can help our child learn to adapt to the world.
It’s also important to recognize our own temperament tendencies! We can grow as parents (and in the rest of our lives!) when we recognize how our own unique temperament affects our experience of the world and our child.
It’s hard to wait! It can be hard for adults, and it’s even harder for young children. Psychologist Walter Mischel and colleagues have spent decades
All relationships experience moments of miscommunication or conflicting intentions and expectations; these are known as ruptures. No matter how good a parent you are – no
Young children must find their own space and place – physically and emotionally – in their homes and in the world. To do this, they
As parents, we get so much feedback about what we can do to enhance our baby’s development. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember one
Children thrive when they are provided with a predictable, structured environment. Routines provide a sense of safety and security, as well as foster healthy emotional and
Just think of how much time babies spend in routines of one kind or another: sleeping, bathing, feeding, and diaper changing, not to mention dressing,
An excerpt from a behind-the-scenes interview with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek at the 2018 Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank
As parents, we get so much feedback about what we can do to enhance our baby’s development. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remember one
