Parents’ Guide to Understanding Your Kids: Tip #1 – Watch how they respond to discipline

Years ago when our oldest was in elementary school, he did something so heinous that I sent him to his room from the time he arrived home from school until dinner.  It was probably 3-4 hours that he was alone in his room.  If you had driven by our house you would have heard him wailing at the top of his lungs and might have assumed that we were actively beating him (which we were not).

Then there’s our youngest.  We have sent him to his room and then asked some time later, “Where’s Adam?”  “Oh no, I sent him to his room.  Adam, come out.”  “Nah, that’s alright.  I’m playing.”

Extroverts gain energy through interaction with people and the outer world.  Our oldest has a clear preference for extroverting.  Introverts gain energy through reflection, time alone, or time spent with close friends.  Our youngest has a clear preference for introverting.

So when we sent our older son to his room as discipline for inappropriate behavior, it got his attention.  When we sent our younger son to his room, he was often happy to be away from the rest of “the loud family” (our name for ourselves).  There are many ways to begin discovering your child’s personality type and preferences.  Observing their response to discipline is one.

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