Enneagram Types for Children - More Detail

Type-one - Perfectionist or Reformer

Basic outlook:
The world is imperfect. I want to improve things.

The type-one child wants to know the right way to do things, wanting to do things correctly so she won't be seen as inadequate. She may be very responsible, occasionally taking on the role of parent, telling people the proper way to act and getting upset when others don't behave properly. She might avoid doing things when she feels things may not come out perfect. She is very concerned with living up to parents' and teachers' expectations and may become self-critical.

Type-two - Giver or Helper

Basic outlook:
People depend on me. I am needed.

The type-two child wants other people to see her as helpful to earn appreciation. She is very sensitive to disapproval and is very compliant. She loves to be popular with other children and teachers. Many teachers and parents see her as the perfect little helper. She may act precocious or dramatic to get attention but rarely asks for what she wants.

Type-three - Achiever or Performer

Basic outlook:
The world loves a winner. Avoid failure

The type-three child wants to look successful to receive appreciation. She is generally well liked by other children, other parents and teachers. Image is very important to her. She is likely to be the most capable child in her class and jumps right into projects or tasks without much instruction. She's driven to finish tasks successfully and can often be found working on her own projects.

Type-four - Artist or Individualist

Basic outlook:
Something is missing. Others have it, but I can't find it.

The type-four child is very creative and interested in the arts. She is very sensitive and sometimes complains that nobody understands her. She may seem lonely or feel abandoned. She has a very active imagination and plays by herself for hours. She may mention that she feels like other people seem happier than her and that she doesn't fit in. If she feels you are not trying to understand her, she can get rebellious and distant.

Type-five - Observer or Analyst

Basic outlook:
The world is invasive. I need privacy to think.

The type-five child likes to watch events from a detached point of view, gathering information and understanding what's going on. She may spend a lot of time reading by herself and making collections. In school, this type usually has one or two very close friends rather than many. She tends to have an independent mind and isn't too concerned with social norms. At times, she feels intruded upon and other times she feels like she's being ignored.

Type-six - Loyalist or Skeptic

Basic outlook:
The world is threatening. Question authority.

The type-six child is anxious and anticipates danger, looking to authority figures or groups to protect them. But then she questions the authority's ability to protect effectively. She may try to form alliances of "us against them." She can vacillate between being friendly and likeable and being sarcastic and bossy.

Type-seven - Adventurer or Generalist

Basic outlook:
The world is full of opportunity and fun. I look forward to the future.

The type-seven child is constantly looking for an adventure or interesting activity, trying to drum up excitement. She is generally good at a lot of different skills but tends to have a very short attention span, often abandoning projects as soon as they become dull. She prefers to be with other children and is brilliant at finessing her way around adults.

Type-eight - Asserter or Leader

Basic outlook:
The world is unjust. I must defend the innocent.

The type-eight child is extremely independent and refuses to be controlled. She likes to take control and may attack verbally or physically if provoked or if she feels someone is trying to control her. She is a take-charge personality and has no patience for a weak parenting style. This type of child is often a loner but may have a few very close friends who she protects.

Type-nine - Peacemaker or Moderator

Basic outlook:
Don't make waves. Keep the peace.

The type-nine child is very calm and likes peace of mind and relaxing. She may tune out a lot, especially if others are arguing. She avoids conflict at all costs. This type of child is generally very good and never seems to get angry. She seems to keep her problems to herself, but when prodded may discover problems she didn't realize she had. At times, she feels ignored and that the family doesn't feel her opinions and feelings are important.

Parent Softworks provides a simple, easy-to-use way to discover your child's personality type and offers advice and guidance based on the Enneagram. You don't need to know anything about the Enneagram to use Parent Softworks to its fullest. All the personality-typing mechanisms have been taken care of behind the scenes.

But Parent Softworks isn't only a personality test. You get a ton of tools for tracking your child's important information, keeping memories, printing an ID or one of several handy forms and a whole lot more to make your parenting job easier. Go back to the Parent Softworks page to learn more about this wonderful new program.