I want to share a wonderful tool to help you understand more about who you and the people in your family are.
Honoring each member of my family for the unique people they are is one of my focuses for 2016.
Easier to Enjoy Each Other
When I know who I am and who they are, then it is so much easier to enjoy each other.
I love the book The Child Whisperer, which teaches about the 4 energy types people have. It has really changed the way I parent in a wonderful way.
Here is a very brief, simple explanation of the types. There is SO much more to them than this, but this will help me explain my family.
- Type 1 – fun loving and creates great ideas
- Type 2 – go with the flow and gathers ideas
- Type 3 – moves forward and makes the ideas happen
- Type 4 – observes and perfects ideas.
Could have gotten a “Better” present
I will use Devon as my example because he teaches me the most about being a mom. 🙂
Devon is a 4/3 (meaning mostly a type 4, but also has type 3 in him) He likes to perfect things. I used to see this quality as being critical. But after I learned about the types and read The Child Whisperer, it helped me to appreciate this quality! For instance, I got him a gift for Christmas and he said, “It is nice, but it could have been a better one.” In the past that would have offended me. This time I realized, it was his perfecting nature. He actually did like it, he just knew there was a better possibility out there.
I was able to teach him from a place of love and acceptance that it isn’t socially acceptable to make a comment like that about a gift. That it is OK he thinks that, but that it can hurt someone’s feelings if he says that. I was able to do this from a place of love, because I understood and honored his type.
Life changing difference from before when I would have just been hurt or irritated and either yelled at him for saying that or just disconnected from him. Leaving us both feeling lonely.
Read The Child Whisperer
I really encourage everyone to get The Child Whisperer. It is a great book and resource. Carol also has The Child Whisperer blog and podcast where you can get more information and she has a free e-mail class to learn more about the types to help you figure out yours and others types.
What tools do you have to honor the people in your family?