The Sanguine Child

Sanguine children are the children of air and sunshine. They are like a fresh spring breeze. When they look at you with sparkling eyes and warm smile, you feel special, selected, included, yes, even privileged to be noticed and recognized by these special people. They are the kings and queens of the classroom, the princes and princesses of the home. Their favorite colors are all the colors of the rainbow. When they eat, it is small amounts of many flavors. They are drawn to sugar, and the quick energy it gives. More often than anything, sanguine children are compared to the butterfly that flies from flower to flower, never staying very lone with any one, but having an impact on each.

But please don't get the impression that the sanguine child is just superficial. He (or she) is a very imprtant part of the social mix. This can be a very organized child. He knows everyone's birthday, and makes sure it is recognized on the proper day. His love for colors is not just aesthetic; he will use it to color coordinate various aspects of his life, from his wardrobe to his schedule. He is aware and careful always of appearances, and will bring just the right addition to a room, or area of a room to transform it from the mere practical to the beautiful. During parties, it is the sanguine child that effects introductions, plans or proposes games, and generally lightens the mood and supports the social connections that might otherwise not take place.

So, you may say, what do I do then with my sanguine child?

Play to your child's strengths. When assigning chores, this is the child who will succeed beautifully at setting the table, freshening or picking flowers, organizing the shoe rack, etc. This is the child that will write letters to his granprents, and will do well as family emissary to friends and relatives. The rule with this child is, he will lighten and brighten.

What then is the down side? This child tends to have a short memory. Each day will bring a new "best" friend. the good intentions of today (or an hour ago) are forgotten as the new impulse of now takes hold. You can't just give this child a task; you must follow up on it and make sure it has come to fruition. And sometimes you need to follow your child and mend hurt feelings as he blithely goes from one best friend to the next, not realizing that yesterday's best friend feels abandoned today. Your task as a parent is to foster loyalty and consistency in your sanguine child, to help him balance his temperament and strengthen his resistance to impulse control.