Split personality?

Somehow we managed to birth a happy, easy-going baby. He cries only when he's hungry, tired, hurt or (occasionally) if he gets mad. Most of the time he's a happy guy! He is happy to move from person to person...content with everyone.

These are great qualities in a baby....but what about when he's older?

Is he really happy, go-lucky or is it a passive personality? Will he grow up to be the shy kid in class--easily overlooked if he's not a behavior problem or needs help with academics?

How do you bring out the strong points of a personality without changing the personality? If he is naturally passive or shy---how to we teach him to share himself?

As teachers, we see the different personalities in the classroom....and you wonder about how their home, parents, experiences etc have shaped the personality. I'm not sure where I believe personality falls in the whole nature/nurture debate. I'm outgoing and talkative, TH is quiet and only opens up when he's comfortable or has something to say. The more time I've spent with him, the more I am ok with quiet times/lapses. My personality has shifted as it has meshed with his. That's the nurture side I suppose, changing what "my mama gave me". TH has a bunch of talkative sisters, so he learned to be quiet. But--it hasn't really changed as he's aged and been around different types of people. As LM spends formative time with both of us together and apart, he will be exposed to different types of our personalities.  How do we keep the nurture of us from "ruining" what nature gave him? Or--does nature really give anything? People remark all the time about personalities of those around them--relating back to what type of baby or small child they were. When waiting for "baby", the personality of it is frequently debated based off the activity level in-utero. There seems to be so much that goes into a personality....and considering how much personality can affect your lifestyle, future, friends and general choices...that's pretty heavy.

Obviously, I don't know how it will all resolve...and it's awful heavy thinking for a Wednesday. I just imagine who he will be and how that relates to who he is now. And how I will (or have already) messed it up :-) There are a lot of choices you make in motherhood (or parenthood since I'm planning on sharing the blame with TH) for all basic needs/wants in a little one's world....hopefully the choices I (we) make are ones I'll look back on and be proud of when I see how my little monkey turns out :-)