Title

1
Understanding Spirited Children
2
Presenters

• Fill in presenters names and titles

3
Ground Rules

• Start on time, stay on time, and close on time.
• Invite participants and facilitators to be
  learners rather than experts.
• Everyone has a chance to talk. Thus, no one is to
  dominate the class. Others are here to learn too.
  
• No one HAS to talk. It is OK to pass at any time.

4
Ground Rules, cont.

• All adults must decide what fits or would work
  for them. There is no one right way.
• Advice is given only when asked for.
• No one puts anyone else down.
• All that is shared is confidential it stays
  here.

5
Basis for Program

• Sharing what research shows works best for most
  children.

6
Introductory Activity

• State Your Name.
• Share if you know a child who is difficult.

Hello. My name is
Mary
7
Earth Quake Activity

• This is how children with spirit often
• react to their environment

8
What is a Spirited Child ?

• This is how
• Mary Sheedy Kurcinka in her book
• Raising Your Spirited Child
• Describes
• Spiritedness

9
Understanding Temperament

• What is it?

10
Temperament is

• Children are born with a biological makeup that
  is the basis
• Temperament is a child's natural way to react to
  people and the environment
• It is their behavioral style
• Each child's style is unique
• Life experiences affect a childs temperament but
  the style stays basically the same

11
Things you cannot change

• Male or Female
• Facial Features
• Intelligence
• Temperament
• Talent
• What the child enjoys
• Body type

• Skin Color
• Hair Color
• Height
• Maturation rate
• Incurable or chronic disease
• The way children think at different ages

12
Temperament IS

• Childs temperament is only one aspect of the
  child others are gender,age, birth order and
  learning modality
• Situation and environment, two aspects that
  adults can influence

13
Understanding temperament helps adults know

• What behavior to expect from the child
• How the child will react in various situations
• How to respond more effectively

14
Nine Temperament traits
15
Temperament Pie

• Each of us has a unique, special temperament.
  The same is true for our children. Each
  temperamental trait your child exhibits is like a
  slice of the child. Understanding these traits
  gives us insights into how to interact with the
  child.

Modified and Adapted by Nan Baumgartner from
Basic Parenting, Foundation Resources, Kansas
State University Cooperative Extension Service
16
A New Perspective

• Negative
• Aggressive
• Loud
• Manipulative
• Wild
• Mouthy
• Nosy
• Anxious
• Demanding
• Picky

• Positive
• Assertive
• Expressive
• Creative
• Dramatic
• Honest
• Curious
• Careful
• Persistent
• Selective

17
Labels Stick Like Burrs

• How easy is it for a child to develop a positive
  sense of self when these words are used to
  describe him?

18
Labels and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

• Unfortunately, negative labels can become
  self-fulfilling prophecies, filling our minds and
  draining our energy.
• Our expectation may HELP or HINDER the child by
  influencing his or her self-perceptions.
• Kids are apt to live up to or down to what they
  believe/perceive to be expected of them.
• Fortunately, each label has
• a potential strength.

19
A New Perspective

• Does re-labeling the Spirited childs behavior
  make the behavior acceptable?
• NO! Spirited children need to experience the
  consequences of their misbehavior, the adult need
  to help the child realize when their spiritedness
  has become misbehavior.
• Re-labeling helps us develop a picture of our
  child that reminds us of their value and
  potential.

20
A New Perspective cont.

• Our responsibility, as adults is to
• Guide and teach appropriate and socially
  acceptable ways of dealing with intense emotions.

21
A New Perspective cont.

• When we hold a vision of the potential it gives
  us HOPE!
• It takes practice to change those behaviors
  into strengths
• There are strategies that will help adults teach
  spirited children

22
Strategies

• Dr. Stanley Turecki, author of The Difficult
  Child suggests the use of the following
  management skills

23
Strategies

• DEFINE recognize how the trait effects the
  childs behavior.
• AVOID the incorrect labels that demean the child
  and pass judgment.
• SAY THIS label the true behavior for the child.
  Be consistent so the child understands what is
  happening to them.

24
Strategies

• Finally, DO THIS take action. Do what needs to
  be done in a manner.
• Remember child is not doing this on purpose.

25
ALWAYS

• Accept child as they are.
• Have reasonable expectations.
• Realize what triggers the behavior and change the
  environment to eliminate or reduce the trigger.
• Identify (name) what is happening and teach your
  child how to handle difficult situations.

26
Always continued

• Make eye contact
• Use images, action and words to communicate your
  message.

27
Group Temperament Study

• Select the temperament you want to learn more
  about
• Go stand by that characteristic
• As a group review the information on the
  temperament.
• Have a reporter offer the entire group the
  highlights of this temperament (what its like
  and strategies that work)

28
Closing Activity

• Using the ABCs sheet find the letters of a
  more childs name.

29
I have an
nthusiastic
ore
ndependent
ively
ouza
Child. . . and Im glad for it!
 
30
Evaluation

• Please help us make this program better.
• Please leave your evaluations on your table
• Your input is appreciated!

31
Program was provided by

• (insert agencies involved in the presentation)
• HCE
• Visit the UWEX Spirited Child website
• http//www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/curriculum/spiritedchi
  ld/

32
Thank You

• And..
• Understanding Kids
• Its Worth It!

33
This Program Made Possible Through

• University of Wisconsin-Extension, U.S.
  Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties
  cooperating.
• UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in
  employment and programming, including Title IX
  and ADA.

34
PowerPoint Originally Developed By

• Donna Doll-Yogerst, Professor and
• Family Living Agent, Oconto County
• UW- Extension
• And adapted for HCE use by
• Faden Fulleylove-Krause, Professor and Family
  Living Educator, Calumet County UW-Extension
• December 2005