Adolescence

Student Activity 3

I would have to say that my temperament as an adult is easy.   I am a pretty easy going person.   I don't get too upset about much.   I am patient and generally quiet. I think I am too easy going at times and have a hard time expressing my feelings.

My sister is ten years older and she took care of me a lot.   My mom worked nights and my dad was home, but he worked all day and he was tired, so my sister was left up to the task of taking care of me.   She said, and these are her terms, that I was a "brat".   I was very fussy as a baby, possibly had some issues with colic.   I rarely slept through the night.   My mom would get off work at three in the morning and I would usually still be awake.  

I think that I had a an insecure attachment with my mother and father.   My mother worked outside of the home, and sometimes my dad worked two jobs.   I rarely saw either one of them.   We had a large family and everyone pitched in.   I think I had more of a secure attachment to my older sister.   She is the one that took care of most of my parental care.

As I got a little older, my temperament didn't change much.   I threw fits when I didn't get what I wanted.   I didn't share well with other kids and I was very verbal. My sister was11 months younger than me and I am sure that I made even her life miserable.   I would always get her into trouble.   She was very quiet and shy and an easy target for me. I think because of having eight kids in the family, I was starving for attention, positive or negative.   At least they knew I existed.   By my teen years, I was still in the difficult child phase.   I ran with a wild crowd, skipped school and got into lots of trouble.   Then at 17, I got pregnant.

When I had my first child, he was just like me.   He was a difficult child as an infant.   He also had colic and rarely slept thorough the night.   I think that is when I started to really change in temperament.   I had to be patient and understanding.   He was diagnosed...