Goodness of Fit

Often you prefer dinner at the same time every night, but your spouse wants to eat at different times. You like to go to the same pool each week to swim, but your child always wants to go to a different one in another part of town. When your temperament traits differ from that of other family members, it can cause arguments and frustration and interfere with developing healthy habits. However, being aware of those different traits can allow you to work together. This is called goodness of fit.

An example: John doesn’t like to try new foods, but you love to use new recipes and try new things. You can both discuss this and decide that once a week you will try a new recipe to be served with other foods that John likes, and he will try it. This is an example of making your world fit with everyone’s temperament!

When parents recognize these differences, they can plan meals and activities around their family’s needs.

Don’t forget to journal!

How can you improve the “food temperament” of your family this week?