“Intense spirited kids need to hear phrases like: You are enthusiastic. You are expressive and lively. That can be frustrating. You are very upset, but you are a problem solver and will figure out what to do. Being intense does… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“Children learn best from the adults they love. They watch carefully to see how you handle your strong emotions. Most of us, however, have not been taught to enjoy the richness intensity adds to our lives; nor have we been… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“2. PERSISTENCE: If an idea or an activity is important to them, spirited children can “lock” right in. They are committed to their task,… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“8. FIRST REACTION: A quick withdrawal from anything new is typical of many spirited kids. Any unfamiliar idea, thing, place, or person may be… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“When you’re in the middle and stuck, you need to know when to back out and call for help. If that person is someone… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“It almost seems un-American, at times, to have kids who are slow to warm up. Other people tell us to push them—to force them… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“9. MOOD: The world is a serious place for some spirited kids. They’re analytical, meticulously reviewing experiences, finding the flaws, and making suggestions for… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“I’m not sure if it was the despondent look in a parent’s big brown eyes and the hopeless shake of her head or if… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“6. REGULARITY: Figuring out when they will sleep or eat is a daily puzzle for parents of spirited children who are irregular. It seems… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“INTENSITY A Summary Intensity is the driving force behind the strong reactions of the spirited child. It is the invisible punch that makes every… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“7. ENERGY: The tales of spirited kids I hear from parents are truly amazing, like that of the two-week old baby that “crawled” the… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“Words control the impulses; without them children have no protective devices to slow their reactions. Frequently I am asked, “Aren’t you just begging for… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“2. You did not make your child spirited. There is a genetic factor to being spirited, but how one’s genes are expressed is significantly… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
“A Credo for Parents of Spirited Children 1. You’re not alone. According to the personality research 10 to 15 percent of all children living… — Mary Sheedy Kurcinka Copy Share Image
