I’m the Introverted Mom

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One thing that I actually like about being an adult versus being a kid is getting to make my own decisions like where I go, what I do, where I work, where I hang out… you get the picture. Having kids sometimes forces you into situations that you’re not comfortable in or would not normally put yourself in. And for someone like me, introverted (shy, reserved, anxious. pick one!), this can be a very challenging part of parenthood.

It wasn’t until I took the Myers Briggs personality test at work many years ago that I found what I knew all along; but could never eloquently put into words myself, spelled out in front of me. This test made me understand myself, my co-workers, and even my family members better. I realized that I get quickly drained by being in most social situations where I don’t feel completely comfortable, but other people may get energized in the same scenario.

When I became a mom I knew it was my responsibility to help the little people that I created become fully functioning adults; which includes creating relationships and interacting with all sorts of people. This meant I had to break out of my comfortable shell of close friends, long time co-workers, and family and branch out for my children’s sake (you know, since my close friends didn’t really include any two-year-olds). After months of mulling it over, I joined a mom group.

Simple enough, right? Not so much for the introvert. This brings up all sorts of what-if questions like, who will be there, will they like me, will they like my children, will I feel comfortable, will my children have fun….and on and on. See, exhausting, right?

Luckily, the mom group I joined was a wonderful and welcoming group of mommies, giving me and my daughters fun outings and play dates. I also spend a lot of time with my family members who live in the same town as me who also have children around the same age which has been a true blessing. I try really hard to be balanced and not hold my children back from fun and social situations just because I might not be 100% comfortable. But sometimes I just stay home and play with my girls or take them on an outing as just the three of us in our own little cozy world – and that’s okay too.

Do you find parenting as an introverted mom challenging?