| The two moms were sharing a cup of coffee, when | | | | preferences. He studied that these categories of |
| Susan suddenly blurted out, "I can never figure out | | | | human behavior were innate in humans and |
| what Angie is feeling because she never talks to me. | | | | unchangeable. Jung believed healthy child development |
| She is the queen of the 'silent treatment'. When I try to | | | | was based on lifelong nurturing of individual |
| talk with her she complains I always repeat myself or | | | | preferences. |
| that I talk too much." | | | | We don't get to choose a child's psychological type or |
| Her friend Gail was just as frustrated with her middle | | | | preference, but we can help a child understand his or |
| schooler but for the opposite reason. "What I'd give for | | | | her style and needs. For instance, when processing |
| a moment of silence with Samantha," she answered, | | | | information, is a child an introvert or an extrovert? |
| as she sipped her coffee. "She's 'Miss Motor Mouth' | | | | Does the child need to go inside herself to process |
| and never shuts up about the littlest of things. When | | | | information and recharge, or go outside herself and |
| she has a problem, I can't even figure out which part | | | | reflect? Perhaps the "silent resister" is just introverted |
| of the babble is her point." | | | | and the "motor mouth" is just extroverted. |
| In her book, "Kids, Parents and Power Struggles," | | | | Preventing power struggles begins by working with |
| author Mary Sheedy Kurcinka talks about the "silent | | | | your child's type rather than against it. If a child is an |
| resister" and the "motor mouth" and how parents can | | | | introvert, he or she needs their personal space, needs |
| benefit from understanding that children process | | | | time for reflection, and opportunities to watch or listen |
| information differently and recharge in their own | | | | before participating. If a child prefers extroversion, then |
| preferred styles. And if the child's preferred style does | | | | he or she needs to talk things out to figure out feelings, |
| not match the parent's, then there is the potential for | | | | needs activities and interactions with people in order to |
| power struggle. | | | | feel energized, questions to help think and |
| Swiss psychologist Carl Jung developed something | | | | problem-solve. |
| called "psychological type theory," which suggests | | | | Understand and honor your child's "psychological type." |
| human behavior falls into predictable categories or | | | | It will surely help reduce power struggles. |