I wasn’t always cool with being an introverted parent. I wanted to be one of those moms who thrived among children—the mom who’s always on, always available emotionally; the mom who invites all the neighborhood kids over for snacks every day. But that’s just not me. I love my kids, but there’s a reason I’m always suggesting we play hide-and-seek. (There’s something about a dark closet…)
I viewed my introversion as a parental liability, a flaw I had to overcome. Lately, though, I’ve been wondering: could my introverted personality be a benefit? Does it actually, in some ways, make me a better parent?
The answer, I think, is yes. When I look at my skillset as a parent and the areas where I feel confident, I can see where my introversion is an asset. This isn’t to say that introverted parents are automatically the best kind of parents—or vice versa. Not at all. But for my sake, it definitely helps to celebrate some of the ways introversion makes me a better mom.
