The feisty child is the opposite of the easy child. The child may be hard to get to sleep through the night, her or his feeding and nap schedules may change from day to day, and the child may be difficult to toilet train because of irregular bowel movements. The feisty child typically fusses or even cries loudly at anything new and usually adapts slowly. All too often this type of child expresses an unpleasant or disagreeable mood and, if frustrated, may even have a temper tantrum. In contrast to the easy child’s reaction, an intense, noisy reaction by the feisty child may not signify a depth of feeling. Often the best way to handle such outbursts is just to wait them out.
Caregivers who do not understand this type of temperament as normal sometimes feel resentment at the child for being so difficult to manage. They may scold, pressure or appease the child, which only reinforces her or his difficult temperament. Understanding, patience and consistency, on the other hand, will lead to a “goodness of fit,” with a final positive adjustment to life’s demands.