--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 5. ADAPTABILITY: Spirited children are…" description: "\"“5. ADAPTABILITY: Spirited children are uncomfortable with change. They hate surprises and do not shift easily from one activity or idea to another. If..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/mary-sheedy-kurcinka-17820_adapting_5-adaptability-spirited-children-are-unc_2836623.jpg" --- # 5. ADAPTABILITY: Spirited children are uncomfortable with… ![“5. ADAPTABILITY: Spirited children are uncomfortable with change. They hate surprises and do not shift easily from one activity or idea to another. If they’re expecting hot dogs on the grill for supper, heaven forbid if you come home and suggest going out to a restaurant. Even if it is their…” quote by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/mary-sheedy-kurcinka-17820_adapting_5-adaptability-spirited-children-are-unc_2836623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/mary-sheedy-kurcinka-17820_adapting_5-adaptability-spirited-children-are-unc_2836623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/mary-sheedy-kurcinka-17820_adapting_5-adaptability-spirited-children-are-unc_2836623.jpg) > ““5. ADAPTABILITY: Spirited children are uncomfortable with change. They hate surprises and do not shift easily from one activity or idea to another. If they’re expecting hot dogs on the grill for supper, heaven forbid if you come home and suggest going out to a restaurant. Even if it is their favorite restaurant, they’ll say, “No, I want hot dogs.” Adapting to change, any change, is tough: ending a game in order to come to lunch, changing clothes for different seasons, sleeping at Grandma’s house instead of at home, getting in the car, and getting out of the car. All of these activities signal a struggle for slow-to-adapt spirited children.”” [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spirited children resist change and prefer familiar routines, making adaptability a challenge in everyday transitions. **In simple terms:** Children often resist change and stick to familiar habits. Key Takeaway Encourage gradual exposure to new experiences. Themes adaptability child development routine resistance Mood empathetic practical Type educational parental When to use this quote - school - family meals - seasonal clothing changes - travel - daily routines Key Concepts psychology behavioral flexibility learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we support children in embracing new situations? - What small steps ease transitions? A Different Perspective Change can be stressful for those who thrive on predictability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adapting to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adapting-to-change/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Hot dogs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-dogs/) ## Related quotes > [Im like a chameleon adapting to change and this crazy world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-like-a-chameleon-adapting-to-change-and-this-crazy-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The talk you hear about adapting to change is not only stupid, it's dangerous. The only way you can manage change is to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-talk-you-hear-about-adapting-to-change-is-not-only-stupid-it-s/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“Adapting to change, then, means going through the stress of withdrawal from the old normality and finding relief when a new normality is established.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-g-may/adapting-to-change-then-means-going-through-the-stress-of-withdrawal/) [Gerald G. May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-g-may/) > [Instead of constantly adapting to change, why not change to be adaptive?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-emery/instead-of-constantly-adapting-to-change-why-not-change-to-be-adaptive/) Fred Emery > [“The best schedule is one that is adapting to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/the-best-schedule-is-one-that-is-adapting-to-change/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [“1. INTENSITY: The loud, dramatic spirited children are the easiest to spot. They don’t cry; they shriek. They’re noisy when they play, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/1-intensity-the-loud-dramatic-spirited-children-are-the-easiest-to/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“Parents of spirited children who are learning to manage their intensity well are talking about intensity and naming the emotions. They soothe the wailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/parents-of-spirited-children-who-are-learning-to-manage-their/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/a-credo-for-parents-of-spirited-children-1-you-re-not-alone-according/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/7-energy-the-tales-of-spirited-kids-i-hear-from-parents-are-truly/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“2. PERSISTENCE: If an idea or an activity is important to them, spirited children can “lock” right in. They are committed to their task,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/2-persistence-if-an-idea-or-an-activity-is-important-to-them-spirited/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is their ability to adapt and persist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glody-kikonga/the-difference-between-those-who-succeed-and-those-who-don-t-is-their/) [Glody Kikonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glody-kikonga/) > [Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/here-s-to-the-crazy-ones-the-misfits-the-rebels-the-troublemakers-the-2/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/in-the-struggle-for-survival-the-fittest-win-out-at-the-expense-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“ Iron does not take a single form whilst forsaking all others. The strength of iron is in its flexibility, its capacity to adapt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-westbrook/iron-does-not-take-a-single-form-whilst-forsaking-all-others-the/) Matt Westbrook > [“Stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t a walk in the park, but the treasures that await you are like paths paved with gold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/stepping-outside-your-comfort-zone-isn-t-a-walk-in-the-park-but-the/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) ## More by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka > [“2. PERSISTENCE: If an idea or an activity is important to them, spirited children can “lock” right in. They are committed to their task,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/2-persistence-if-an-idea-or-an-activity-is-important-to-them-spirited/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“8. FIRST REACTION: A quick withdrawal from anything new is typical of many spirited kids. Any unfamiliar idea, thing, place, or person may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/8-first-reaction-a-quick-withdrawal-from-anything-new-is-typical-of/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/when-you-re-in-the-middle-and-stuck-you-need-to-know-when-to-back-out/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/it-almost-seems-un-american-at-times-to-have-kids-who-are-slow-to/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/9-mood-the-world-is-a-serious-place-for-some-spirited-kids-they-re/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/i-m-not-sure-if-it-was-the-despondent-look-in-a-parent-s-big-brown/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“6. REGULARITY: Figuring out when they will sleep or eat is a daily puzzle for parents of spirited children who are irregular. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/6-regularity-figuring-out-when-they-will-sleep-or-eat-is-a-daily/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“INTENSITY A Summary Intensity is the driving force behind the strong reactions of the spirited child. It is the invisible punch that makes every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/intensity-a-summary-intensity-is-the-driving-force-behind-the-strong/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/7-energy-the-tales-of-spirited-kids-i-hear-from-parents-are-truly/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/words-control-the-impulses-without-them-children-have-no-protective/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/2-you-did-not-make-your-child-spirited-there-is-a-genetic-factor-to/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/a-credo-for-parents-of-spirited-children-1-you-re-not-alone-according/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“4. You have permission to take care of yourself. Your own need for sleep, quiet, uninterrupted adult conversation, lovemaking, a leisurely bath, a walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/4-you-have-permission-to-take-care-of-yourself-your-own-need-for/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“And while the temperamentally active child will always be an energetic individual, how that looks can change over time. With guidance from you, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/and-while-the-temperamentally-active-child-will-always-be-an/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) > [“You Do Make a Difference But biology is not destiny. What we now know is that nature and nurture matter. How your child’s temperament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/you-do-make-a-difference-but-biology-is-not-destiny-what-we-now-know/) [Mary Sheedy Kurcinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) [Explore all 36 Mary Sheedy Kurcinka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sheedy-kurcinka/) ## More Adapting quotes > [For a struggling filmmaker running low on ideas, public domain is all we have for adapting books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/for-a-struggling-filmmaker-running-low-on-ideas-public-domain-is-all/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [If I can do concert recitals, adapting the repertoire to my needs, then no problem, that's good enough. But with operas, unless the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-carreras/if-i-can-do-concert-recitals-adapting-the-repertoire-to-my-needs-then/) [Jose Carreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-carreras/) > [Firmino is a player who is really good at adapting to different positions. He is a No. 9, but he helps a lot in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabinho/firmino-is-a-player-who-is-really-good-at-adapting-to-different/) [Fabinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabinho/) > [Martial arts is not about picking your fights and picking how things go; it's about adapting to the how things are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-nelson/martial-arts-is-not-about-picking-your-fights-and-picking-how-things/) [Gunnar Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-nelson/) > [I'm not in the business of adapting things that are popular for the sake of just getting it on the screen. I think there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-m-not-in-the-business-of-adapting-things-that-are-popular-for-the/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I am like the fish in the aquarium, thinking in a different language, adapting to a life that’s not my natural habitat. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-am-like-the-fish-in-the-aquarium-thinking-in-a-different-language/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I'm always a big advocate for adapting to your new team, your new country and your new team-mates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-m-always-a-big-advocate-for-adapting-to-your-new-team-your-new/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [Cinema reflects culture and there is no harm in adapting technology, but not at the cost of losing your originality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/cinema-reflects-culture-and-there-is-no-harm-in-adapting-technology/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [The fact that I made a special movie with an old-fashioned style - even if it's a mix between with modern and old-fashioned things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/the-fact-that-i-made-a-special-movie-with-an-old-fashioned-style-even/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [I believe in having a few pupils at one time as it requires a constant alert observation of each individual in order to establish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/i-believe-in-having-a-few-pupils-at-one-time-as-it-requires-a/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [The brain is constantly adapting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-brain-is-constantly-adapting/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [One of the most difficult things for people who have been successful in sports is adapting to the daily world where you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-spitz/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-for-people-who-have-been-successful/) [Mark Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-spitz/) > [“(T)his is precisely the importance of the world-view described in the Book of Changes: there is no situation without a way out. All situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-and-hellmut-wilhelm/t-his-is-precisely-the-importance-of-the-world-view-described-in-the/) Richard and Hellmut Wilhelm > [Man is a shrewd inventor, and is ever taking the hint of a new machine from his own structure, adapting some secret of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/man-is-a-shrewd-inventor-and-is-ever-taking-the-hint-of-a-new-machine/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Sport is not about being wrapped up in cotton wool. Sport as about adapting to the unexpected and being able to modify plans at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/sport-is-not-about-being-wrapped-up-in-cotton-wool-sport-as-about/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) Browse all 251 Adapting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“5. 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