[The temperament of the child, individual differences and environmental forces.]

The author comments on recent findings in relation to infant temperament, which have demonstrated differences in each child from the first months of life. He stresses the importance for parents to adjust their attitudes to each of their children. The possible association of temperament with the "vulnerability" of certain children is discussed. For several reasons, the evolution of educational methods in Quebec over the last 15 years seems to show a relaxation of discipline and expectation norms on the part of parents, as a counterpart to the beneficial increase in affective communication with the child. The author discusses the hypothesis that this laxness has established itself at the expense of the most vulnerable function of children in our society.