Because opposites attract, it’s likely that you and your child’s other parent may each fulfill a different role as the resident Extrovert and Introvert in your family system.
Introvert: a shy person : a quiet person who chooses alone time and has a few good friends
Extrovert:a friendly person who likes being with and talking to other people : an outgoing person
To whatever degree parenting or other influences can effect a child, psychologists and development specialists almost universally agree that people are born with certain propensities, or personality types.
Knowing whether your child is an Extrovert or Introvert can go a long way in anticipating their social needs and facilitating their social emotional development!
Use this questionnaire to help guide your understanding:
- When dealing with other people, does it describe your child better to say that they
-need approval, and are very upset if someone expresses dissatisfaction with them
-seek approval, but can function without it
-do not care what others think - When meeting new people, is your child more likely to
-be shy until they get to know them
-be friendly and unafraid, and enjoy meeting the strangers
-observe from the sidelines for a short while, and then be friendly and unafraid - Does it describe your child better to say that he or she
-seems to always be talking
-is more quiet - When interacting with others (NOT the parents), is your child more
-affectionate and cuddly
-reserved and doesn’t really like to be fussed over - Is your child generally
-calm and quiet
-loud and full of energy - When playing or doing activities, is your child
-tolerant of distractions, such as TV and other people talking
-irritated by distractions, and prefer to work alone - When approaching a new situation, is your child
-ready to jump in and try anything
-willing and eager to jump in after they have watched for a short while
-cautious and reserved, but interested in joining in
-cautious and reserved, and unlikely to join in - In a group of strangers, is your child
-comfortable with being the center of attention
-more comfortable with being in the background
Assess your child’s norms: are they more
Extroverted: talkative, affectionate, energetic, busy, fearless, and brave?
or
Introverted: reserved, quiet, reflective, still, cautious, and thoughtful?
Check back later this week for expert ideas on how to accommodate and encourage your Extroverted or Introverted child!
This test is based on the Myers-Briggs personality test, a test stemming from Jungian Psychology. For more info, check out the site.
Remember, as the pioneers of the famed Myers-Briggs personality test put it,
“Each type has its own path to excellence, and its own pitfalls.” Isabel Myers
