Cutie's Type (a la Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)

I just got a book from the library a couple of days ago called Nurture By Nature, about how to determine type in children (and use it in your parenting). It is the most helpful guide I've seen yet, with descriptions of each type at various ages, including before they can talk! (If you are unfamiliar with the MBTI, it is a fabulous tool for beginning to understand why people think and act the way they do. Let me know if you would like an introduction via some recommended reading.)

Amazingly, I think that the description that most sounds like Rebecca is ESFP. I don't think I would have guessed that if I hadn't read the book, maybe because I don't think I know any other ESFPs, and maybe because it is so different from us (in case you didn't know or forgot, Steve is an ISTJ, and I am an ISFJ, but very borderline on the T/F). The interesting thing is that all three of us share the same dominant function (S).

It is so helpful for me to know what her type (probably) is, because then I can adjust my expectations accordingly. This definitely explains why she has so much more energy than I do (I just thought it was only an age/health factor before), and why she can't sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time, and why she stuffs her face so full of food that she has a hard time chewing (I never knew this was related to type!), and why she fusses when she is hungry, even though she can see me working as fast as I can to prepare her food; and why she pulls everything out of cupboards and drawers and boxes and spreads all her stuff all over the house every single day and just leaves it scattered about; and why she likes collecting sticks and playing in the dirt and water so much; and why she has no concept of danger; and why she loves sitting in our laps but also running away from us; and why she likes to carry not one, but three, big, soft, blankets around with her everywhere; and why she cries when our company has to leave, and when we have to say goodbye to the neighbors' dogs, and when we put her to bed.

It does not explain why she likes playing with toys more than playing with other children, or why she loves books so much (not that I'm complaining about that one!); but according to the experts, there is still variation within the same type, and if at least 80% of the description matches, then it is most likely what your child is. Of course, I could be wrong, but I guess time will either solidify or change our assessment. God must have known that Steve and I needed a little loosening up, and/or that we needed someone energetic, observant, caring, flexible, and generous to take care of us in our old age!

Anyway, please pray for us as we struggle to differentiate willful, sinful behavior vs. just acting according to type and/or age; and as we attempt to let Rebecca be who God made her to be, without making ourselves more stressed out!