[teddy564339]

Ok, I think this is more of a personal thing than an ISFJ, but I totally think my ISFJness is a big part of it, so I'm curious to see if any of you guys feel similar at all.


Until today, I don't think I've ever sat down with my mom and looked at old baby pictures of mine in the old photo albums she has (I'm 27). Part of it is the usual embarrassment/awkwardness that everyone feels, and part of it is that I don't like the way I look as a baby...for the most part I don't find myself to be cute. (though I did see some pictures today that I had never seen before in my life and I thought I looked quite cute ).

But I realized today that there's more to it than that. Ever since I was a kid, I hated the idea of me as a baby. I always felt uncomfortable when people told me that I was cute. I remember always thinking "I wish I never was a baby. I'm sure I was a nuisance, and that I got on people's nerves, and they had to deal with all of the messy, nasty things that babies bring."

(I think that's also why I don't like babies in general...that it reminds me of that. This is probably uncommon for ISFJ's since they're supposed to be the "nurturers", but I also think part of that is me being the youngest of three and also being male).

And I realized today that...this is largely due to my ISFJ nature to always serve people and to be needed! When I was a baby, I couldn't help anyone. I needed people to help me, and I could do nothing in return for them. And I think that's why I always viewed my baby self as nothing but a nuisance, and why I hated to think back to that time in my life.

It's so funny because I always wondered why no one else felt that way, and why everyone else seemed to always just feel like "Well, of course you were helpless, that's how babies are! We were all like that!" But even though my feelings didn't make sense, I still felt them.


Now, I think this is probably just my own personal extreme case. But, I was still curious if any other ISFJ's have ever experienced any feelings like this?

 

[floryshe]

I'm similar to that but my mom always told me that if every child could be guaranteed to act the same way I did, she'd have 100. lol

I'm also the youngest of 3 children, interesting. Although, most of my siblings were much older than me and they were never really around. I have older parents, my moms in her mid 50s and I've just turned 21. I believe my oldest sister is in her late 30s. (I'm horrible at keeping track of birthdays, is that an ISFJ trait? No? lol)

but yeah.. I've never really felt comfortable about looking at old baby pictures or even discussing my childhood.

Oh and about the 'isfjs are supposed to be nurturers' thing, I've never really thought of myself as a nurturer.. more as a.. good natured realist :wink: anyway, toodles!

 

[teddy564339]

I'm similar to that but my mom always told me that if every child could be guaranteed to act the same way I did, she'd have 100. lol

I think this is what makes the whole thing so fascinating to me. From what I've read, ISFJ's are probably the most well-behaved children of all types. I know I was in school, but I have a hard time remembering how I was with my parents.

But it's interesting...I was asking my mom about it, and she said from even age 2 she could tell the difference between the way I acted and the way my brothers did. My oldest brother is ENTJ and the other I think is ENFP. But if I ever had doubts that personality type wasn't in-born, that dispelled them...she talked about how I was so content to play with myself and that I liked to organize and line up cars and things like that.


So it's almost ironic that the most well-behaved type little kid is the one who felt like he was a problem. Makes sense, though...I think that's something ISFJ's tend to do, or at least I know I do. I just think it's interesting how I've done that all of my life.

but yeah.. I've never really felt comfortable about looking at old baby pictures or even discussing my childhood.

Yeah, that's the way I've always felt, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed doing it with my mom yesterday. I think it helps for me when it's just one-on-one and with someone I'm really comfortable with. I always really hated talking about it in groups of people, whereas it seems like other people a lot of times just loved talking about what they were like as kids and telling stories about it.

I do think part of it is being male as well, since we're not quite as interested in babies on average.

Oh and about the 'isfjs are supposed to be nurturers' thing, I've never really thought of myself as a nurturer.. more as a.. good natured realist :wink: anyway, toodles!

Yeah, like I said, I can't help but think gender plays into that some too.

I'm also the youngest of 3 children, interesting. Although, most of my siblings were much older than me and they were never really around. I have older parents, my moms in her mid 50s and I've just turned 21. I believe my oldest sister is in her late 30s. (I'm horrible at keeping track of birthdays, is that an ISFJ trait? No? lol)

First off, that is an interesting coincidence. I actually have three half-sisters on my dad's side, too, and they're all much older than me. I think the oldest is 15 years older than me, the next about 13 years older, and the last 11 years older. My half-brother on my mom's side is 9 years older, and my full brother is about a year and a half older.

But growing up I only saw my sisters a few times a year, and now I only see them about once every two years. I see my half-brother only about once or twice a year.

My parents are older too...my dad was 43 when I was born and my mom was 36 when I was born.

Also, I have trouble remembering my sisters' birthdays too, but I think that's just because we never see each other.