Every woman is different and unique in her own way and when it comes to motherhood, they act in different ways as well. While some women may choose to stay away from motherhood completely, others do have children and they raise them in their own way. Motherhood may be one of the most important aspects of their lives and mothers like having their children raised in their image.
But there are some distinct parenting styles which are followed by a lot of mothers and there are broadly 9 categories in which they fall. These categories are based on how they deal with the children and how involved they are in their lives. Read on and you can find out the kind of mother you are.
#1 Perfectionist mother
Perfectionist mothers are those who are themselves highly driven and ambitious and expect the same from their kids. They are hard working and demanding by nature. They raise their kids to be highly detail-oriented and they pay attention to each and everything in their kid’s life. While they may seem overbearing, their approach raises kids who are highly organized, ambitious and independent.
#2 Workaholic mother
Workaholic mothers are highly career oriented and are never away from their work, even while their kids are just infants. They need to be active all the time and their careers mean a lot to them. This is not to say that they don’t pay attention to their kids but that they always seem distracted by their work. They have two equally valid priorities in work and in motherhood but they do somehow manage to keep them balanced.
#3 The best friend mother
The best friend mother is one of the blessings a kid could have. They are the kind of mothers who are nurturing yet accepting of their kid’s flaws. They are really good listeners and they spend a lot of time with their kids talking to them, playing with them and making them feel comfortable enough to disclose their secrets. They are not judgemental but understand their kid’s feelings quite well.
#4 The smother mother
The smother mothers are overly involved in their kid’s lives. It’s like they have adopted motherhood as a hobby and can be really overwhelming for the kid, at times. They do mean well but they somehow do not give their kids enough space to grow on their own. Each and every action of the children are monitored by them and they take most of their decisions for the kids. It can really make the kid dependent and low on confidence, in the long term.
#5 The bragging mother
They are the kind of mothers who live bragging about their kids. Anything that their child does is great and they can’t wait to tell it to everyone who would listen. This creates excessive pressure on the kids and the overbearing nature could really hamper their growth. They may not do it on purpose, but their actions may start annoying not only their friends but also their own children.
#6 The natural mother
Some women slip into motherhood like they were always meant to be mothers. They do get scared and overwhelmed at times but are more confident in their abilities to raise their kids than most others. They have an inherent understanding of their children’s needs and they do their part effortlessly. It is incredible how easily they can communicate with their kids and make the right choices like it was in their nature to do so.
#7 The free-hand mother
The free-hand mothers adopt a hands-off approach towards raising their kids. They do their part, of course, but they let their kids make their own mistakes. They do not interfere with their lives and they let them learn on their own. But they also make sure that the child knows that they are there if they are needed. This can be really good for the kid and the knowledge that their mom is there if things go bad gives them additional confidence.
#8 The strict mother
The strict mothers are dominating, overbearing and too demanding. There’s not a moment in the kid’s life which they don’t control and not a moment which they don’t know about. Their entire lives revolve around their kids and they are the ones who would shout at both the teachers and the kid if he/she does badly at school. Not a good approach to have but they do exist.
#9 The ideal mother
The ideal mother is a blend of a mother and a best friend. They are the friend, philosopher, and a guide for the kid until they grow up and then the mother gives them enough space to be their own people. They change with time from a mother to a friend as the kid matures and the kid ends up feeling both confident and grateful for the mother he/she had in their life.
While these may sound like rigid compartments and categories, a lot of mothers actually move between these sets. An ideal mother can be strict at times and a smother mother could be a best friend too. It is, after all, about the dynamics between the kid and the mother and each has her own way to celebrate the beauty of motherhood.
