NORTH, South, East, West by Sandra Timmons

Let’s start with the Sanguine temperament, and since we will be talking about opposites, let’s just say that it is North.  Most of us know a sanguine because he is usually referred to as the “life of the party,” a real people-person (does not like solitude).  He is an “entertainer” even if it means that he has to make himself look silly or not-quite-bright; the laughter is just that important to him.  The sanguine often seems irresponsible or even unstable because details, appointments, obligations, and names are just not important to him; he’s too busy “working the crowd” to remember those details. 

So how does that translate into a child’s and/or a teenager’s traits?  Baby sanguines are usually not the best sleepers because they, even when exhausted, have a hard time shutting down.  If there is noise in the house at his bedtime, he is way more interested in what is going on that he is missing than he is in going to sleep.  Getting him to eat may be a challenge if there are other things going on around him.  Save yourself some misery if you are going out to eat; take finger foods for him.  Do not order and pay for food for him; it will be wasted.  There is no food that is as interesting as what may be happening in the surrounding scenery.   And heaven help you if some of the other patrons realize just how cute he is and then start waving or talking to him!

As the sanguine gets a little older, you will realize that he is inquisitive (nosey) but cheerful.  If life gets dull, he creates his own excitement in hopes of entertaining his friends.  It is not unusual for a sanguine’s activities to get out of hand.  He may become personally acquainted with the school office staff, especially the disciplinarian.  School is a challenge for him because there is always a crowd (a.k.a.class) gathered, and, surely, he is supposed to entertain them all.  If this gets to be a real problem, the teacher may need to be sure that he is seated up front--close to her so that she can help him curb his entertaining tendencies. 

Hopefully, as he grows, he will learn to control his own tendencies that might get him into trouble.  That habit of forgetting details will overflow into his homework assignments, projects, etc.  The teen sanguine driver will be a challenge, and he can be easy to spot because his driving may be rather erratic as he changes lanes with no warning, speeds up, and slows down.  He does this because the scenery is always more interesting than the traffic.  He prefers to talk to and look at his passengers—even if they are in the back seat!

Sanguines—How to Get Along With Them and Help Them

1.       Recognize their difficulty in finishing tasks.  Remember that follow-through is difficult for them and that they are easily distracted.
--Try to keep them from as many detail situations as possible.
--Avoid giving them multiple instructions:  “Do your homework and then get ready for bed.”   One instruction at a time is better until they learn to control their own behavior.

2.      Realize that they often talk without thinking first.  One of my favorite quotes about sanguines is by Florence Littauer—Sanguines often open their mouths to find out what they’re saying.  --If you want to be sure that they realize what they just said, say something like, Now, you just said….  Is that right?  Did I understand you correctly?

3.      They really need variety and flexibility.  They always want something new going on and do best when an attitude of fun is present. 
--Try to keep projects short or at least broken up into smaller units. 

4.      Remember—details are not their forte’—don’t expect them to remember dental appointments, homework assignments, etc.  Find ways to help them remember important things—a homework assignment pad, a large calendar on the refrigerator door (making it a point to discuss it every morning). 

5.      Getting anywhere on time is a challenge for them.  Be sure their clothes for the next day are laid out before they go to bed at night.  Their book bags, etc. should be checked at night and put by the door so that all they have to do the next morning is grab them and go. 
--As a teenager begins driving himself to events, don’t be surprised if he returns as least once because even if he leaves on time, he’s going to forget something and have to go back for what he forgot.

6.      Most important—praise them for everything they accomplish.  Compliments are like food for sanguines.

7.      Thank God for your sanguine!  You will be blessed by his humor!

Proverbs 17:22a—A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.