Children's Temperament as Its Own Path to Value Appreciation

Neviana Petkova* ^ORCID

Web of Science Researcher at Angel Kanchev University of Ruse, Bulgaria

*Corresponding author: Neviana Petkova, Web of Science Researcher at Angel Kanchev University of Ruse, Bulgaria.

Received: 30 March 2026; Accepted: 13 April 2026; Published: 16 May 2026

1. Introduction

Children's temperament is predetermined, as it is innate and encoded. It contains a complex of unchangeable qualities, the knowledge of which by adults, parents and educators helps to facilitate communication with children. Trust and support are a consequence of a strong connection with them, and it is built by the manifestation of cognition, understanding and empathy. And as Rudolf Steiner defines, temperament is given by the child's spiritual mentors in accordance with the characteristics and needs of his soul [2]. In early childhood, temperament was indeterminate. Its distinctness is delimited only after 6-7 years of age. When approaching children, appropriate adaptation is needed. Personal mastery is of particular importance for improvement and continuous development. Acceptance of children's temperament is associated with cyclicity and complete dedication. Open consciousness and lack of judgment are essential. An example from an adult is the best model for children. They feel themselves when they have clearly established boundaries that bring security and safety to them. They are set by adults and when they are absent, the negative traits in the child's temperament grow enormously. The personality is formed gradually and over a long period of time, but the character can undergo modification according to the applied upbringing and experience [3]. However, the child's temperament is very diverse, saturated and capable of enormous creativity. It is always different and always unique. The modern child's temperament is difficult to fit into categories. Particularly dynamic changes are taking place, encoded even in the child's DNA. It is characterized by violent activity, combativeness, persistence, stubbornness, unconventionality, nervousness, hot-temperedness, disobedience, impatience, demandingness, ambition, recklessness, lack of restraint, communicativeness, strong manifestation of socialization, self-confidence, initiative, research search, factuality, colorfulness, unpredictability, headstrongness, talent, curiosity, inquisitiveness, rich sensory imagery, artistry, strong clarity and distinction, ego-resilience [4], resourcefulness, rapid adaptability, ability, variability, leadership, stubbornness, willfulness, mental stability (thinking - feelings - actions), one's own worldview, personal wisdom, personal rites/rituals. All these traits require a calm, wise and balanced approach to be mastered and properly channeled. Although elementary, in practice it is quite challenging [5]. This is a process – long and challenging, requiring patience and dedication.

Table 1: Basic practical steps for correct child valuation [6].

The child's temperament should not be obeyed, but only guided. This shows an understanding of the child's personality in its entirety. The feeling of appearance and significance among others strengthens confidence in the child's temperament and draws out the best mental traits from it. The child gradually enters another reality, in which he feels protected and begins to create. The zone of bright individuality supports the child's positive self-esteem. The modern child uses natural cultural communication, largely occupied by the application of his own rites/rituals and childish wisdom [7]. In this way, he lays the foundations of a special sensitization, typical of the new dynamic environment. The child shows his own research nature. Ritualization in the life of a young child comes from his intuitive-emotional essence a continuation of his natural nature. It is an inseparable part of the formation of qualities in the child's temperament. Children surround themselves with their rituals and break the imposed social stereotypes.

The cultural communication of modern children is based on:

• repetitive favorite activities;
• copying of someone else's/age experience;
• copying of a fairy-tale character and/or situation;
• cultural identification and own cultural transformation;
• rich imagination;
• designation of objects with accurate subjects;
• a world of humor and entertainment;
• personal valuation of ritualization;
• descriptive stimulation;
• sharing of the expressiveness obtained as a result of ritualization [8].

Mastering values ​​under the influence of children's ritualization and wisdom within the framework of:

• sharing and correct direction of emotions and feelings;
• strengthening of children's descriptiveness;
• own path to understanding and valuing the environment;
• declaration and demonstration of personality through ceremonial;
• transmission of superstitions – self-awareness [9].
• Formation of personal self-awareness of values:
• awareness of sharing, transfer, cultural unity, communication;
• channeling of oppression, manipulation, ideologization;
• increase of living cultural interconnections [10].

Ritualization includes adolescent individuals. It helps them to create worlds within themselves. Their synergy with mother nature is of their own natural will. Active inclusion brings them rich awareness, social inclusion and effectiveness. They preach love - wise and full. This is their meaning of values. Adolescent children are engaged with their own inner world, with change, with their inner center, with their sense of belonging, with the need for love. This is a new evolutionary path for all of humanity, devoid of burdens and fears [11]. Since ancient times, ritualization has been a collectively organized unified value attitude, but in modern terms, children apply it primarily individually, unconsciously, but actively determining their emotional balance. They use symbolic ritualization to show their value attitude to the most important things in the community - family, clan, school, organizational, public. Harmonizing ritual behavior with what is socially accepted is a problematic constant in the world of children. They want to be relevant with such behavior. But this is a situational, not a life priority. On the one hand, they declare their attitudes, and on the other - they realize their own behavior. Rituals help them feel themselves, realized in terms of values ​​in social life. Children do not create deviations but simply reflect provocations from the world of adults. Thus, they create their culture and surpass us, us - adults [12].

Child’s name………………………… Child’s age……….…………………

Date: from……................... to………. Year………………………………...

Table 2: Extracting an individual profile of the modern temperamental child.

Every modern child participates in changing the world. His value is measured by his position and earthly rank. Everything personal is priceless, and he does not accept the traditionally established social prejudices. Children’s ritualization and wisdom acquire an increasingly diverse character but remain permanently important. They symbolize and spread children’s knowledge. Valuing values does not disappear but is transformed into its own path. Children are gifted to value. They do this through vital human activities. Thus, they witness natural life [13].

References

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