Listen–Take Heed by Cher’ley

 This Blog  by Cher’ley Grogg

Children should be seen, but not heard is an old saying. My parents didn’t use it

English: Medaillon sanguine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

so much, but every once in a while Mom would say, “Children should be seen,

but not heard.” There’s also the saying, ‘We have one mouth and two ears’.

Are you gabby or quiet? Different types of temperaments naturally fall into different categories. Remember back in the 70’s we explored these.

4 Types of Temperaments

1.   The sanguine temperament is fundamentally sociable and pleasure-seeking; sanguine people are impulsive and charismatic. They tend to enjoy social gatherings, making new friends and tend to be boisterous.
2.  The choleric temperament is fundamentally ambitious and leader-like. They have a lot of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and try to instill that in others. They are task oriented people and are focused on getting a job done efficiently; their motto is usually “do it now.”
3.  The melancholic temperament is fundamentally introverted and is given to thought. Melancholic people often are perceived as very (or overly) pondering and are both considerate and very cautious. They are organized and schedule oriented, often planning extensively. Melancholics can be highly creative in activities such as poetry, art, and invention – and are sensitive to others.
4.   The phlegmatic temperament is fundamentally relaxed and quiet, ranging from warmly attentive to lazily sluggish. Phlegmatics tend to be content with themselves and are kind. Phlegmatics are consistent, they can be relied upon to be steady and faithful friends.

Emoticon representation of the four temperament types. Phlegmatic (top left), choleric (top right), melancholic (bottom right), and sanguine (bottom left).

Listen—take heed. Listening is a virtue and is a vital part of learning and of being accepted. No one likes to never get a word in edgewise.

Here’s a link to the 16 types in pictures, including the ones below.

Here’s a link to more about the 16 personality types.

My main character in “Stamp Out Murder”, James is very quiet. He listens and watches. That’s how he determines if someone is friend or foe. He has learned a lot by staying quiet. His quiet character is what first attracted Carolyn and her quiet character attracted him.

The main character in “The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk”, Brandon is not quiet. He’s very outgoing and loud. He’s a leader and his outgoing boisterous personality works well for him, but not listening also gets him into a lot of trouble. Jordan his cousin is a female version of Brandon, but Jacob his brother is the opposite. He’s a quiet listener, a thinker. The 13 year olds get in a passel of trouble because of not listening, and Jacob quietly follows them.

What about you? What is your temperament? What is your personality? If you’re a writer, what are your characters temperament and personality?

Stamp Out Murder”.

“The Secret in Grandma’s Trunk” This is an especially good book for your Tween Children and Grandchildren.

And please join me on my Facebook Fanpage, that’s managed by one of my most faithful fans: Cindy Ferrell