__ Emotional, low threshold—for example:
Picks up on the moods of others.
Good with animals, babies, bodies, plants (beings that cannot talk).
__ Emotional complexity—for example:
Has interesting insights about what is going on with people.
Has complex, vivid dreams.
__ Emotional, intensity—for example:
Cries easily.
Deeply upset by another’s suffering.
__ Novelty, low threshold—for example:
Notices small changes in room or your clothing.
Prefers little or only gradual changes.
__ Novelty, complexity—for example:
Does not need or like many new things happening.
Dreads a major change such as moving to a new town.
__ Novelty, intensity—for example:
Does not like surprises, being startled, sudden changes.
Hesitant in all new environments.
__ Social novelty, low threshold—for example:
Slow to warm up again with someone she has not seen for a while.
Notices small changes in people after not seeing them for a while.
_ Social novelty, complexity—for example:
The more unusual or unknown the person, the more hesitant.
Does not like to be in large groups when some are strangers.
__ Social novelty, intensity—for example:
Does not like to be the center of attention among strangers.
Does not like meeting a lot of new people at once.
Does not like to be questioned by a stranger.
Next, rate your child on the seven traits from Thomas and Chess (leaving out “sensory threshold” because it is the same as sensitivity and you have already measured that in a better way, and leaving out “predominate mood” for the reasons given earlier in the chapter). You can look back at pages 22–24 if you have forgotten to what these traits refer.
1 Activity or energy level: Low Medium High
2 Intensity of emotional response: Low Medium High
3 Rhythmicity: Low Medium High
4 Adaptability: Low Medium High
5 Initial reaction: Approaches Variable Draws back
6 Persistence (attention span): Low Medium High
7 Distractibility (easily shifts attention to a new stimuli): Low Medium High
Now, check off what you regard as your child’s other strengths:
Artistic ability
Scientific ability
Skill at mental games
Athletic ability
Patience
Empathy
Conscientiousness
Great sense of humor
Spiritual interests
Intelligence
Kindness
Concern for social justice
Others _______________________________________________________
Your child’s problem areas (in your opinion). Some examples might be:
Trouble with coordination or playing sports
Shyness, often afraid of being rejected
Negative mood or behavior
Stubbornness
Rudeness, selfishness, lack of consideration
“Too good”
Not able to make “small talk”
Spends too much time at computer or ____________
Anger
Too noisy, boisterous
Rejected by others for being aggressive
Rejected by others for being too passive
Slow learner
Learning disability
Attention deficit disorder
Others _______________________________________________________
Would the above problem areas be a problem for any parent, or are they things that particularly bother you? (Could you imagine this problem being “no problem” in another family?)
Major events can shape your child’s life; beside each that applies, write what you think has been the effect:
Move
Divorce
Illness
Death in family
Death of a close friend, including beloved pet
Illness in family, mental or physical
Past abuse, physical or sexual
Persistent poverty
Prejudice
Unusual successes, awards, accomplishments
Public notice
Acquiring a very close friend
A special mentor (including a close grandparent, teacher, etc.)
Trips or other experiences that made a lasting impression
Lessons (musical, athletics, etc.)
Consistent activities—soccer, Scouts, etc.
Unusual living environment (big city, inner city, country, a farm, etc.)
Religious training
Cultural resources (gets to see many plays, is taken to concerts, scientists or writers often visiting family)
Others ___________________________________________________________
Now, write a page or two about your child, based on the above—a kind of summary, as if you were explaining him to someone.
Begin with his sensitivity, then the other temperament traits he has.
List all of your child’s strengths.
Then mention the problems, in your opinion.
How are these problems affected by your view of them (would someone else find them “no problem”)?
Write something about how these strengths and weaknesses have been increased or decreased by your child’s history.
Finally, looking back at your child’s sensitivity, how has it contributed to your child’s strengths?
How has it contributed to the problems?
How has it contributed to your child overcoming her problem areas?
How has your child’s sensitivity been interwoven with her major life experiences? Did it increase their impact in some cases? Decrease it in some cases?
Go back and underline what you have