--- title: When God Gives You A Sanguine Child description: When God Gives You A Sanguine Child --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2012/08/07/when-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child#) # When God Gives You A Sanguine Child Aug 7, 2012 9:00:44 AM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) ![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Sanguine-Child-300x400.png?width=300&height=400&name=Sanguine-Child-300x400.png "Sanguine Child") I have one word for you. [Sanguine](http://catholicmom.com/2012/06/20/are-you-a-sanguine/). Make that five words. My daughter is a sanguine. If you’ve read Art and Laraine Bennett’s book [*The Temperament God Gave Your Kids*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161278545X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=161278545X&linkCode=as2&tag=catholicmomcom), you might be smiling right now. Sanguine children have a knack for putting smiles on people’s faces. A child with a sanguine temperament can be described as talkative, charming, enthusiastic, adventuresome, interruptive, friendly, playful, and bouncy. Armed with a never-ending flow of questions and ideas, my daughter is constantly “on.” Where are we going today? … Can I invite a friend over? … Do I have swimming lessons? … Let’s bake a cake! … Where are my scissors? And all this chatter typically occurs before 7:00 a.m. (Wait! Did my daughter just ask for scissors?!) She bounces out of her bedroom at the crack of dawn with a huge smile and a carpe diem spirit - -- lovely qualities that will help her set the world on fire one day, I’m sure. But let’s lock up the kindling and matches for a few more years, please. I do not share my daughter’s sanguine temperament; I am more of a [melancholic](http://catholicmom.com/2012/06/13/are-you-a-melancholic/). When my daughter is playful, I am more introspective. Where she’s spontaneous and bubbly, I am perfectionist and organized. While she’s talkative, I am serious. I am in awe of her temperament, but it also leaves me drained. I’ve had to open my heart and learn different parenting strategies that work for both of us. [*The Temperament God Gave Your Kids*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161278545X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=161278545X&linkCode=as2&tag=catholicmomcom) has proved most helpful for our family. Dare I say it’s armed me with more courage to break out of my comfort zone in favor of my daughter’s --- to push myself into “out-of-temperament” experiences so that my daughter can thrive? Here’s an example. I don’t like to shop. I don’t like malls. Get in, get out --- let’s get the job done. It’s a mentally draining activity for me. Conversely, my daughter loves the mall. The people, the activity, and the sense of adventure --- they all recharge her spirit. One recent Saturday I needed to make a run to the mall to pick up a few things. On a whim (or maybe Holy Spirit inspired!), I decided to turn the errand run into an opportunity for a mommy-daughter date. As my daughter and I walked out the door, my husband said to me, “No matter how this goes, you’re still trying to do a good thing here.” He knows me all too well. Melancholics like me have an inherent drive for perfection and tend to worry about all the possible negative outcomes that can occur with a new venture or project. A dozen or so scenarios of how this could all go wrong had already played out in my mind. She’s my daughter, not my project. Thanks for the reminder, dear. So mano-a-mano, our mommy-daughter date began. We visited a salon inside the mall and enjoyed getting our nails painted. I was tickled to see how much the other patrons enjoyed my daughter’s sunny personality. And I couldn’t help but chuckle when one of the salon employees said, “Wow. She sure asks a lot of questions!” You’re not joking, lady! Then we walked around the mall for a while. I noticed I had an extra boost of energy and wasn’t worn out with my daughter’s social butterfly tendencies like I so often am. And we capped off our date in a coffee shop where she savored a cookie as I sipped a cup of joe. What lovely conversation we had just the two of us. As our date came to an end, I noticed there was a bounce to my step. I was giggling and enjoying being adventurous with her. Could it be that I needed that mommy-daughter date more than she did? My husband was right; it was a good thing to do. In [*The Temperament God Gave Your Kids*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161278545X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=161278545X&linkCode=as2&tag=catholicmomcom), the rally cry for parents of sanguines is to “Enjoy this spirited child, who brings to your family magic and innocence, enthusiasm and spontaneity.” And that’s exactly what my daughter brought to me during our mommy-daughter date: magic and innocence, enthusiasm and spontaneity. I’m so grateful God gave me a sanguine child. ***Copyright 2012 Lisa Schmidt*** ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2012%2F08%2F07%2Fwhen-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2012%2F08%2F07%2Fwhen-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2012%2F08%2F07%2Fwhen-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=When%20God%20Gives%20You%20A%20Sanguine%20Child) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2012%2F08%2F07%2Fwhen-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2012%2F08%2F07%2Fwhen-god-gives-you-a-sanguine-child%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Profile%203.jpg) ### [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) We welcome guest contributors who graciously volunteer their writing for our readers. Please support our guest writers by visiting their sites, purchasing their work, and leaving comments to thank them for sharing their gifts here on CatholicMom.com. To inquire about serving as a guest contributor, contact editor@CatholicMom.com. ## Related Blog Articles [ Are You a Sanguine? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2012/06/20/are-you-a-sanguine) [ The Temperament Book God Gave Me Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2012/05/30/the-temperament-book-god-gave-me) [ Are You a Melancholic? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2012/06/13/are-you-a-melancholic) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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