News release for this month's Parenting the Preschooler is:

Supporting Your Child's Preference for Sensing or Intuition

Sensing and Intuition are two fundamentally different ways people take in information says Joan E. LeFebvre, University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Agent serving Vilas, Forest, and Florence Counties and certified administrator of the Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator.

Sensing children take in information directly through their five senses; they pay attention to details and build conclusions based on the sequential organization of this information. Intuitive children are mostly aware of the meanings, connections, and possibilities related to the information they take in; they focus greater energies on reorganizing the information into patterns.

Think about your child. Does your child?

• Like information presented in order or like to learn different things different ways?
• Like complete directions or just enough directions to do it their own way?
• Like to know all the facts to understand the whole idea or like to know the main idea more than the details?
• Like producing things or like to come up with the idea for doing things?

Sensing children tend to pay attention to and remember the sensory information they collect. They tend to like things the way they are and often want them to remain the same. On the other hand, intuitive children are most interested in things that are out of the ordinary. They love variety, learning new things, and can become bored quickly with too much routine.

Sensing and intuition show where we focus our attention, indicates LeFebvre. Sensing preference children focus on existing facts and realities while intuitives focus on future possibilities. Sensing types live in the “here and now;” intuitive types wonder what “might be” in the future. Intuitives often feel sensors are “too concrete” or “stuck in the present.” Sensing types may consider intuitives “out of touch” with reality.

Sensing types outnumber intuitives three-to-one. Sensing parents may find it difficult to appreciate the contribution intuitives can provide in thinking about what might develop in the future, while intuitive parents need to appreciate the ability of sensing types to focus on specifics and value the here and now.

Sensing parents may struggle with an intuitive child’s imagination or the “big picture” orientation of an intuitive child. It’s important to give your child the space to dream and fantasize. Wait until later to ask about specifics and practicalities, suggests LeFebvre.

Intuitive parents may struggle with giving a sensing child detailed, specific instructions or knowing how long a task will take. Break a task into components and give shorter sets of directions. Use a timer to get real-life information to share with your sensing child. LeFebvre encourages developing patience for the details your sensing child provides.

For more information, contact Joan E. LeFebvre, University Extension Family Living Agent serving Vilas, Forest, and Florence Counties, Courthouse, Eagle River, WI 54521, (715-479-3653), e-mail joan.lefebvre@ces.uwex.edu or visit the web site for Parenting the Preschooler.