The following photos have been used according to the Fair Use Clause, in which I am permitted to use movie stills to comment on the movie in question. In this case, I’m commenting on the personality types of the characters.
Congratulations, ladies. You’re about to read the longest post ever written on Incredible Infant.
Clocking in at 5370 words, this blasted wonderful article has taken me three weeks to write. It was worth it.
You’re going to love reading all 5100 words. Here are three reasons why:
- It compares your mothering style to a famous character from books, TV, or movies. (And who doesn’t want to find out if you’re a Katniss Everdeen or an Anna Bates?)
- It will explain why certain things about mothering drive you batty and others fill your love-tank to overflowing.
- It will offer tips on how to balance your unique personality with the job that is so consuming right now and for the rest of your life: motherhood.
So let’s dive straight into the DNA pool, shall we?
BTW, the characters in the graphics are meant to be personality examples, not mothering examples. 🙂 You can have a similar personality, but still be a rock star mom.
What Fills Your Tank?
Extroversion vs. Introversion
I think the easiest place to start when it comes to personality sleuthing is this: Are you an Introvert? Or an Extrovert?
You’re not going to be ALL introverted or ALL extroverted. People are rarely ALL anything. It keeps life complicated interesting. No, it’s just going to be more of a lean.
It’s like you’re rowing with one oar slightly larger than the other. No matter how hard you try to be balanced, you just keep drifting in that direction.
So the first step is to figure out your “natural bent” and then head down that tributary until you find the ocean of self downriver.
You can absolutely read every personality type in this article (why not? You’re breastfeeding at 2am anyway!), but you don’t have to.
Now that you’ve got the Introverted/Extroverted thing figured out, you can skip straight to those personality types by clicking one of the links below:
I’ve based the research for this article on the Myers-Briggs Personality Quiz. Honestly, though, all the STJINTPE language can be easily confusing, so I’ve opted to use a more tired-mama-approach in categorizing the personalities from this website.
Introverted Mothering Styles
There are eight different personality blends that have “energized by alone-time” preference in common.
Mothering Style: The Architect
You might be an Architect Mother if you…
- Are imaginative, yet decisive
- Am ambitious, yet private
- Are proud to be a bookworm
- Love to share what you’ve learned with others
- Avoid gossip and keep your opinions (mostly) to yourself
- Believe that anything is possible with enough elbow-grease and study
- Are self-confident in the areas you’re passionate about
For those playing the Myers-Briggs adventure game, this is an INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging).
Mothering as an Architect
The early years of parenting can be really challenging for an Architect Mother. It’s hard for you to work with someone who is completely illogical and hasn’t master simple cause and effect. Toddlers especially can push your patience to the edge!
Tips for Architect Mothers:
- Have something to do outside your family. You need mental stimulation, and a worthy goal to achieve. If you’re not working, volunteer somewhere.
- You may need more time away from the kids, and that’s okay. The constant interruptions that come with children, and really wear you down, so get creative to find some time to gather your thoughts alone (trips to the library, grocery shopping, etc.)
- Try to spend time with each of your children individually. It may be easier for you to connect than in a large chaotic mass of siblings!
- Sometimes you may feel like you’re not a “natural” mother because you’re not as warm and cuddly as other moms you see around you. Don’t buy it! You are thoughtful, committed to your kids, and they will grow up being strong independent thinkers under your guidance!
- Be careful not to over commit yourself. Of all the personality types, you will struggle the most between the “accomplished self” and the “mom self”. Keep striving to find that balance!
Mothering Style: The Logician
You might be a Logician Mother if you…
- Are an inventive and creative problem solver
- Have a vigorous love of learning
- Love finding patterns
- Enjoy pointing out holes in arguments
- Am CONSTANTLY thinking about something
- Frequently have full-fledged debates inside your head
- Use others as a sounding board to work out your opinons and thoughts
- Not interested in day-to-day tasks
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an INTP (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving).
Mothering as a Logician
You are excellent at allowing your children space to explore the world around them. Sure, you’ll step in if you think things are getting hazardous, but otherwise you’ll let them enjoy ripping up the magazines to experience the sound and texture of the ripping.
Tips for Logician Mothers:
- Set aside regular time for “mind time”. Use this time to read, work, or just stare out the window and think. This is not a luxury for you, it’s a necessity.
- Rise early to get a jump on the day without the constant hubbub and chaos of a houseful of children. Routines are a struggle for you, so rising early can take overwhelming tasks of getting everyone out the door, making them manageable.
- Take time every day to purposely listen to your kids. Because you spend so much time thinking, you can accidentally come across as detached, when really you’re just distracted. (Bedtimes are great for this!)
- Don’t compare yourself to other mothers. You have a calm approach to parenting, that is very soothing to children! To them, you are the perfect model of patience, kindness, and fairness.
- Delegate the day-to-day stuff. If you can afford it, hire someone to take over home maintenance tasks (like cleaning or laundry). Even if it is only once a month!
Mothering Style: The Virtuoso
You might be a Virtuoso Mother if you…
- Are more of a “left brain” thinker, loving math and the sciences
- Have no greater joy than taking things apart and putting them back together
- Possess a cool, curious, rational mind and rarely get stressed out
- Are passionate for physical activities
- Tend to be spontaneous
- Always up to your elbows in projects
- Were called a “Tomboy” at some point
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ISTP (Introverted, Sensitive, Thinking, Perceiving).
Mothering as a Virtuoso
You are highly respectful of your children’s differences and do a great job giving your children the personal space they need to develop into self-sufficient adults.
Tips for Virtuoso Mothers:
- Keep a baby journal. Since your feelings are extremely private to you, writing out your thoughts for your growing children will allow you to connect with them on a deeper level, without breaking your inner sanctum.
- Hire out for some of the domestic tasks like laundry or cleaning.
- Use a meal planning services like eMeals. By taking the planning out of the equation, and giving you easy 4-step recipes to follow, you’ll be able to get in and OUT of the kitchen faster than ever.
Mothering Style: The Adventurer
You might be an Adventurer Mother if you…
- Are highly spontaneous and can come across as being unpredictable and risky
- Hate feeling like you’re boxed in and have limited choices
- Take joy in helping others, and are naturally affirming and a good listener
- Love home-improvement projects or design
- Are laid back and charming, easy to like.
- Am sensitive to the emotions of others around you
- Are highly imaginative & passionate about exploring new ideas
- Are a great visualizer for people, using artistry in writing, painting, or even creating graphs at work
- Love taking the kids out for outdoors adventures and hands-on crafts
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ISFP (Introverted, Sensitive, Feeling, Perceiving).
Mothering as an Adventurer
You have been also been referred to as the “Giving Mother” personality type, which is saying something! You tend to bond easily with your children, at a very young age. You’re not demanding, and your spontaneous creativity make you a lot of fun!
Tips for Adventurer Mothers:
- Have someone help manage your finances. You’re not good at long range planning, so have your spouse or a good financial planner help you look beyond the now to your children’s future college needs. (Click here for the easiest way to do that.)
- Pack an “Adventure Bag” for the car. Have it contain extra diapers, snacks, or other items so you can pop in the car on a whim!
- Create a Mom Space somewhere inside the house. A small corner with your books, your favorite blanket, your coffee mug… This little haven will emotionally protect you from the serving you’re doing all day long!
- Keep a journal. Since you have a tendency to hold back in speaking your thoughts and feelings, a diary may be the perfect opportunity to share. (Even better, keep a journal for your child!)
Mothering Style: The Advocate
You might be an Advocate Mother if you…
- Love to help others
- Enjoy probing to get to the heart of the issue
- Tend to be soft-spoken, but have strong opinions and will fight for ideas you believe in.
- Connect easily with other people and have a talent for warm, sensitive language
- Are highly creative: enjoy refurbishing other people’s stuff or writing, reading, making or listening to music, crafting, etc.
- Are an organized and efficient worker
- Want to be appreciated for your thoughtfulness and accomplishments
- See unique possibilities everywhere, there are always options!
- Feel most comfortable with order, structure, and consistency
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an INFJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging).
Mothering as an Advocate
Disclaimer: This is my introverted mothering personality. 🙂
You are sympathetic and accommodating and take the time to really get to know each of your children as individuals. You see mothering as a profession that requires your best self, so you spend a lot of time thinking and working on finding who that “best self” really is.
Tips for Advocate Mothers:
- Keep a journal. Not only will this help process your thoughts and feeling (in something beautiful), when conflict pops up, it will give you an outlet to process those emotions. (Advocates hate conflict!)
- Have Mommy Dates. You long for intimate conversations with your kids. Setting aside some time to do things with each individual child will help you probe and get to know them as individuals.
- Create goals – even if they’re small. One of the tenets of our personality type is that we need to feel like we are making progress towards something. This can especially hard when you’ve got small kids! So shoot for small goals that lead to bigger realities.
- Have a Spotter. We, as advocates, have a tendency to get burned out easily. We pour so much of ourselves into something, that without balance, we can exhaust ourselves. Use a trusted friend or spouse to help you find that line, and give you a warning shout that you’re getting too close to the flames.
Mothering Style: The Mediator
You might be a Mediator Mother if you…
- Are intensely private, and can be cautious and hesitant with new people
- Are idealistic and easily hurt
- Value inner harmony over harmony with others
- Struggle with holding grudges
- Love animals (real and stuffed)
- Act spontaneously, and resist structure
- Have a rich fantasy life and loved playing make believe
- Are a “big picture” kind of person
- Have a unique talent for self-expression
- Love learning languages
- Can occasionally slide into “hermit mode”, so caught up in your thoughts you stop interacting with others
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving).
Mothering as an Mediator
You are a mega cheerleader for your kids, encouraging them to grow and develop in a wide variety of areas. You are also a good role model and moral example, inspiring your children with compassion, kindness and a love for the beauty that surrounds us.
Tips for Mediator Mothers:
- Find a way to use your creativity. Whether through drawing, writing, or some other creative expression, working things out through your hands will be a huge soul-soother!
- Don’t feel guilty about not doing more. Mediator Mothers can often feel selfish that they aren’t doing more. (Overlooking the fact that they are doing more than anyone else!) You have limits, and that’s okay. Everybody does!
- Hire a monthly cleaning lady. As you lose yourself in the quest for the greater good of your family and others, you can easily neglect the day-to-day upkeep life demands. You don’t have to spend a fortunate to get some local help with the cleaning!
Mothering Style: The Logistician
You might be a Logistician Mother if you…
- Work methodically towards a goal with patience
- Don’t make many assumptions
- Are reliable – your promises are always met
- Prefer to work alone
- Have sharp, fact-based minds
- Do not like to be dependent upon others
- Have a strong sense of duty
- Never beat around the bush or manipulate, you’re direct
- Are effective in whatever you choose to do, using structure to prevent chaos
- Are calm and rational
- Believe “honesty is the best policy”, even if that means someone gets hurt
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ISTJ (Introverted, Sensitive, Thinking, Judging).
Mothering as a Logistician
You are a very responsible mother, which means your children will have the strong emotional benefits of a stable home. Your kids can count on you. You are excellent with providing a schedule and structure for your children.
Tips for Logistician Mothers:
- Keep your to-do lists. They will keep you grounded and feeling in control when uncontrollable things (like sick kids, sudden spills, and other oopsies) shake things up.
- Put your baby on a routine. I’ve got several articles on how to do this (just do a search at the top of this page for your babies age range). But a good DIY hack is to keep a sleeping/feeding log for several days and then look for patterns.
- Give yourself daily bookends. Find time at the beginning and end of the day to be alone and order your thoughts and tasks for the next day. It will help you be better prepared to face the chaos in the middle.
Mothering Style: The Defender
You might be a Defender Mother if you…
- Have excellent ability to analyze things
- Are really good interacting with people (even though you’re still an introvert)
- Are involved in medicine, academics, or charity social work
- Consistently go above and beyond the norm
- Have an excellent memory, remembering trivia and details of people’s lives
- Are naturally warm and caring
- Tend to underplay your accomplishments
- Take a steady, patient approach to solving problems and reaching goals
- Have a strong imagination, even if it’s practical (and not fantastical)
- Notice others’ emotional states and can see things from their perspective
- Are fiercely loyal to certain ideas and organizations
- Love to be gracious and let things slide, optimistically assuming things will get better soon.
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ISFJ (Introverted, Sensitive, Feeling, Judging).
Mothering as a Defender
You are often called The Tender Loving Care Mother because you are overflowing with kindness, affection and comfort. You make mothering look easy. You’re the mom who will say you’re full, just so you child can have the last piece of pie.
You do a great job seeing things from your child’s point of view, searching for hours for beloved lost toy because you know how important it is.
Tips for Defender Mothers:
- Don’t overload yourself. Especially in the early years, don’t be pulled in too many directions to help too many people. It’s okay to just focus on your family for a while.
- Ask for help, even though you don’t want to burden people. They are your friends and family. They love you. Allow them to make you some meals when things are building up, or babysit so you can take a nap. You’ll be a better mother for it.
- Put your needs first once in a while. Of all the mothering styles, yours is the one that needs to take this advice to heart. Pursue interests that show life beyond the responsibilities of motherhood, it will add joy and a sense of fun.
Extroverted Mothering Styles
There are eight personality profiles that surround the “energized by being with others” personality quirk. They are…
Mothering Style: The Protagonist
You might be a Protagonist Mother if you…
- Are genuinely interested in other people
- Don’t seek authority, but are often requested to lead by others because of your strong personality and positive vision.
- Have a bent towards politics, coaching, or teaching
- Am unafraid to stand up and speak when something needs to be said
- Are a bedrock of empathy to your friends
- Am a team player and willing to listen to everyone’s opinion, even if it’s different than yours.
- Know how to instinctively charm and audience and change your delivery to match the needs of those listening to you
- Have a strong desire to do good in and around your community
- Don’t tell people what to do, instead helping them explore options and follow their hearts
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ENFJ (Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging).
Mothering as a Protagonist
Protagonist mothers do an excellent job balancing the parenting tasks of teaching strong values and personal responsibility with allowing their children explore options and follow their hearts. It’s got to be magic!
Tips for Protagonist Mothers:
- Have grace for yourself. Don’t allow your mom-esteem to be determined by whether or not you’re matching your goal-meeting ideals (like breastfeeding). Instead, understand that some things are uncontrollable, and keep moving. You are not a failure.
- Get out of the house. You need to be around people, so if you’re a homemaker, make an effort to get a social activity on the calendar. Here are 27 tips on how to fight Mommy Cabin Fever you might find useful!
- Mentor a younger mom. Reach out to the younger mothers who are working through those difficult few weeks and months! Your inspiring personality will be a huge blessing to them, and give them confidence that things will get better.
Mothering Style: The Campaigner
You might be a Campaigning Mother if you…
- Can read between the lines of what people say
- See life as a complex, yet emotionally-connected puzzle
- Are fiercely independent, craving creativity and freedom
- Believe everyone should take the time to recognize and express their feelings
- Have a sense of wonder for beautiful things
- Can spot emotional disharmony or physical discomfort in others a mile away (highly observant)
- Am an excellent communicator
- Know how to have fun and relax
- Am easily adaptable and spontaneous, you’re popular and get along with pretty much everyone
- Cannot STAND feeling bored with mundane tasks, you’re a free spirit!
- Loathe being micromanaged, and find it highly insulting
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ENFP (Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving).
Mothering as a Campaigner
You tend to lean towards an unstructured style of parenting that will maximize your children’s ability to explore and be creative. Not that you are letting your kids do whatever they want, though. You just want them to do whatever they want, with you.
Tips for Campaigner Mothers:
- Keep the good smells coming. Since you’re so sensitive to stress, you may find it beneficial to dabble in some essential oils for peace and calm.
- Write down your observations. Since you catch everything, make sure you write it in a beautiful baby journal so you can enjoy these little moments again later!
- Get some help around the house. You can struggle to focus on the boring mundane tasks of keeping house. If housekeeping is a constant guilt battle for you, hire someone locally to come in once a month for a spruce up.
- Don’t overthink things. You’re tired. Your husband is tired. Resist the natural tendency to read motives into things. You’re losing enough sleep already as it is!
Mothering Style: The Commander
You might be a Campaigning Mother if you…
- Project authority that draws people together
- Love a good challenge and firmly believe you can achieve any goal
- Are a natural-born leader, charismatic and inspiring
- Can think strategically and hold a long-term focus
- Have a quest to end inefficiency – it’s a pet peeve
- Recognize the talents of others to create amazing teams of people
- Respect others who can stand up to you intellectually
- Are energetic and strong-willed
- Don’t mind people disagreeing with you, as long as they are speaking rationally (not emotionally) and have well-thought-out arguments.
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ENTJ (Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging).
Mothering as a Commander
You take your role as mother seriously, and with much personal responsibility. The younger years may be a difficult time for you, because you love having rational discussions and children are anything but rational.
Tips for Commander Mothers:
- Give yourself grace. You’ve got high standards, yes, but even the best leader needs sleep to function.
- Don’t see your children as a reflection of yourself. You are not going to be judged on their decisions. Continue to live as a good example, but understand that Mini-Me’s only exist in the movies.
- Practice listening. Even though you struggle with emotional outbursts, if you try to clamp down on the inevitable outburst from your children you’ll only succeeed in driving them away when them move towards adolescence.
- Journal your memories. Emotional expression isn’t something that comes naturally to you, but if you can jot down your thoughts and memories about your children now, it will be a huge bonding experience for them later as a way of connecting with you at a deeper level.
Mothering Style: The Counselor
You might be a Counseling Mother if you…
- Tend to be popular with others
- Enjoy making others happy
- Love planning and throwing parties
- Thrive on the latest gossip
- Concerned with fashion and your appearance
- Need to feel valued and appreciated
- Can easily pick up on group tension and guide the conversation back to harmony
- Prefer planned and organized events over spontaneous get togethers
- LOVE the baby stage, having someone completely dependent on you
- Are an excellent manager of day-to-day tasks
- Value stability and security
- Sensitive and warm, caring deeply about the feelings of others
- Try really hard not to offend or hurt anyone
- Are great at making small talk or following social cues
- Have a strong sense of what’s right and wrong
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ESFJ (Extroverted, Sensitive, Feeling, Judging).
Mothering as a Counselor
Caring is at the very heart of your personality, so you were, in a way, born to be a mother. You’re warm and sensitive to your kids, but also not a doormat. You have rules and you use compassion and support to help your children learn them.
Tips for Counselor Mothers:
- Find some like-minded mom friends. Having friends who make similar parenting decisions, will help you from falling into a pit of self-doubt or criticism.
- Set up regular play dates. You will thrive as a mother if you’re out and about with plenty of others to interact with!
- Don’t let others make you feel like a bad mom. People have opinions about everything. That doesn’t mean their opinion about you and your mothering is right. It just means they have an opinion. (Good for them.) When you’re tempted to crawl into a ball, remember these 101 ways you’re an awesome mom.
Mothering Style: The Debater
You might be a Debater Mother if you…
- Are the ultimate Devil’s advocate
- Thrive on shredded arguments and beliefs – not to be mean, but because it’s fun
- Are quick-witted
- Love a good challenge or a problem to fix
- Have a broad knowledge base and can make strong arguments
- Are uncompromisingly honest
- Have been known to argue tirelessly for something you don’t actually believe in
- Love to brainstorm and think “Big Picture” but will avoid grunt work at all costs
- Not a fan of rules and regulations
- Approach things impartially and with logic, stating what’s more effective rather than what makes you feel good.
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ENTP (Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving).
Mothering as a Debater
Debaters provide a home life that’s full of enthusiasm and discovery through learning and cause and effect, rather than structure. You want your kids to learn to think independently and voice objections and opinions logically.
Tips for Debater Mothers:
- Find intellectual stimulation. Either by volunteering, starting your own business, or working at a job, you will find you’re a better mother when you have an intellectual pursuit on the side.
- Join a book club or jogging partner. By exercising your mind or your body with a friend, you’ll kill two birds with one stone!
- Find a reliable childcare provider, grandmother, or friend to help you provide balance for children who thrive on structure and routine at home.
Mothering Style: The Entertainer
You might be an Entertainer Mother if you…
- Get caught up in the excitement of the moment
- Are generous with your time and energy when it comes to encouraging others
- Love the spotlight
- Make every outing feel like a party
- Know what’s attractive the moment you see it
- Aren’t afraid to have a personal style that’s unique to you
- Observant and sensitive to others’ emotions
- More likely to avoid a conflict than confront it
- Love experimenting with new styles, and find new ways to stick out in a crowd
- Have excellent people skills – you’re talkative, witty, and always have something to talk about.
- Would rather learn about psychology than classic literature
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ESFP (Extroverted, Sensitive, Feeling, Perceiving).
Mothering as an Entertainer
As an Entertainer, you love jumping in and playing with your children. If she asks you a question, you’re more likely to say “let’s find out” and discover the answer together, than just tell her. You are totally there for your children, no matter what.
Tips for Entertainer Mothers:
- Watch the credit cards. This personality style is more likely to go into debt, living beyond your means.
- Keep a list of things to do on the fridge. If you’re not working, you may struggle with feeling bored. Create a short list of outings, activities, and games you can do to keep yourself occupied.
- Join a moms group. Having other mothers going through a similar experience will help affirm that you’re not the only one struggling with teething…or potty training…or meltdowns!
- Don’t be afraid of discipline. Discipline is usually tough for the Entertainer, so it’s good to think through with your spouse expectations for your children, and then how you’re going to handle it ahead of time. Children do need to be guided, and the best way to do that is with consistent discipline.
Mothering Style: The Entrepreneur
You might be an Entrepreneur Mother if you…
- Like being the eye of the storm, the center of attention
- Love getting stuff done
- Enjoy taking risks
- Are a hands-on learner, not interested in long lectures
- Are able to pick up on the subtle changes of others, like a shift in facial expression, clothing style, or broken habit
- Genuinely enjoy spending time with your children
- Would rather take leaps and fix problems as they arise, than sit and create plans
- Enjoy sports
- Love turning ideas into reality by uncovering the details that will make them happen
- Don’t play mind games, you prefer direct communication
- Have a knack for social interactions and networking
- Not a fan of schedules and rules
- Matter of fact in friendships, “what you see is what you get”
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ESTP (Extroverted, Sensitive, Thinking, Perceiving).
Mothering as an Entrepreneur
You are a fun-loving playful mother, willing to get down the ground and roll around with your offspring as often as they ask. You love watching them discover new and exciting things!
Tips for Entrepreneur Mothers:
- Create a repertoire of activities. You need action and spontaneity, and your child will need some downtime…so create a plan to meet both. Time to be home, and time to be out adventuring!
- Stop comparing yourself to other mothers. You may not always have dinner on the table, or all the laundry folded, but your son LOVED playing cars with you in the garden today, that’s a memory he’ll never forget.
- Get help with the domestic chores. If you’re feeling more and more overwhelmed with some of the laundry and cleaning responsibilities, pinch a few pennies to hire someone to come weekly or monthly and get you caught back up.
Mothering Style: The Executive
You might be an Executive Mother if you…
- Dive straight into difficult situations, but somehow make the answers look easy
- Love tradition and order
- Have a strong sense of self
- Am comfortable being in charge
- Are a model citizen
- Firmly believe people should be responsible for their decisions
- Am convinced authority needs to be earned
- Dedicated to doing the right thing
- Will stick to your ideas and principles relentless and won’t budge unless you’ve been proven clearly and conclusively wrong
- Trust facts far more than ideas or opinions.
- Honest and direct
- Are the very definition of dependable
- Love swooping into chaos and transforming it with rules, structures, and clear roles
- Extraordinarily talented in organizing tasks and delegating, making you an ideal administrator
- Are always on time
In the language of Myers-Briggs, you are an ESTJ (Extroverted, Sensitive, Thinking, Judging).
Mothering as an Executive
Tips for Executive Mothers:
- Discover what relaxes you, and do it religiously. Your need for respect can drive you to continue to work on things, rather than cut loose and relax. Discover yoga, or prayer, or sitting outside on the porch and then take time to do that on a regular basis!
- Find something to organize. Managing something (even if it’s just the carpool, or a moms group) will give you a sense of competence and self-satisfaction.
- Accept your limitations. There are some things you can control, but getting a toddler to eat broccoli or a 4 month old to take regular naps is not one of them.
You are Only Part of the Equation!
You should consider this article a First Grade Personality Class. If you want to really dig in, take this online quiz.
Also, don’t forget that you are only half the parenting equation! Your spouse also has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses to bring to the table.
Understanding him can be a big help in uncovering why he does the things he does and breaking the mystery that is “male”. 🙂
Once your kids get older, I’ve found it helpful to study and uncover their personality quirks to help me learn how to connect with them in a way they are primed to receive. It’s a great Anti-Teenage-Rebellion strategy. (I’ll let you know how it goes.)
Here are a few books I’ve read (or have had others recommend) that can help with the Parenting with Personalities in Mind movement:
So, now it’s your turn. I was an “Advocate” mother.
What type of mothering style do you have?
Have You Read These Yet?
- Dear Homemaker: Use These 70 Life-Hacks to Steal More Time
- What Every Parent Should Know About Flying with a Baby
- Everything a New Mama Warrior Needs to Know about Baby Care
- How Mater & McQueen Can Help Your Baby Nap in the Car
- Keeping Your Toddler Happy on the Plane (The Mary Poppins Way)
- DIY: Build a Baby Car Kit in 3 Easy Steps
- The Do’s and Don’ts to Help Your Baby Sleep Away From Home
Addams Family – Paramount Pictures | The Incredibles – Pixar Animation Studios | The Hunger Games – Lionsgate | Alien – 20th Century Fox | Harry Potter – Warner Bros. | Scooby Doo – Warner Bros. | The Big Bang Theory – CBS | Parks and Recreation – NBC | Mulan – Walt Disney | Once Upon a Time – ABC | Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Fox | How I Met Your Mother – CBS | Star Wars – Walt Disney | Lord of the Rings – New Line Cinema | Game of Thrones – HBO | Grey’s Anatomy – ABC | Cinderella – Walt Disney | Wizard of Oz – MGM Studios | 30 Rock – NBC | The Help – DreamWorks Studios | The Office – NBC | Pride & Prejudice – Universal Studios | Frozen – Walt Disney | Bones – FOX | Divergent – Summit Entertainment | Grease – Paramount Pictures | Into the Woods – Walt Disney | Inside Out – Walt Disney | Snow White – Walt Disney | Homeland – FOX | Zootopia – Walt Disney | Anne of Green Gables – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | The Little Mermaid – Walt Disney | Downton Abbey – Masterpiece | Friends – NBC | High School Musical – Walt Disney | Jurassic World – Universal Studios | Mary Poppins – Walt Disney | Vikings – History Channel | Tangled – Walt Disney | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – Netflix | Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Big Talk Productions | Calvin & Hobbes – Bill Watterson | Brave – Walt Disney | Wreck It Ralph – Walt Disney | Nashville – ABC | Gone with the Wind – MGM Studios | Modern Family – FOX | The Princess and the Frog – Walt Disney | Shrek – DreamWorks Studios | Saving Mr. Banks – Walt Disney