Being an INFJ Mother is Mostly a Blessing

Being an INFJ Mother or Father

When I first became a mother, I had no idea I was an INFJ personality type, but looking back, I can now understand why I struggled so much. Being a mom is hard enough, but being and INFJ mom (or dad) poses some unique challenges. Fortunately, it also has some incredible benefits.

As an INFJ mom, these values were important to me: always be true to yourself, do your best, be honest, and do the right thing.

And, be in the moment (especially difficult for INFJs, so still learning).

A Creative Side to INFJ Parents

There are no downsides to this one, but I wanted to bring it up when discussing parenting because it’s a strong trait that makes life a little easier, and way more fun.

Creativity is a natural part of the INFJ personality, so it comes easily in the form of pretend play, big ideas, and making things. Fostering imagination and creativity in your children is pretty easy when you’re an INFJ, and that creativity becomes an outlet for both you and your child (or children).

I started crafting with my kids. We would make our own wrapping paper, paint pots and crochet scarves for birthday gifts, and make our own wall decorations. We even painted a huge picture together on one of our walls. We’ve played with everything from clay and paint to yarn and paper. We also danced a lot, played games in the dark, and had plenty of snowball fights.

These are the special moments, so I encourage you to grab hold of every opportunity to create, whether it’s making up stories or making a puppet.

Introversion – Self Care Conundrum

The first preference I want to start off with is introversion because I think this is one part of being an INFJ mother or father that can really get in the way. Introversion describes how an INFJ gives and receives energy. We recharge our batteries by being alone.

The problem is that being alone when you’re a parent is a pretty rare occasion. Kids, especially young ones, are loud, chaotic, highly active, and require a ton of energy. And, you can’t usually break away from them when you’re home. They are in constant need of your time and attention. So how do you get a breather to recharge?

You schedule in some self care. It’s not selfish to take a break from your kids. Some teenagers may actually make you feel like running away, so it’s really important that you are up to the task of being there for your child, and the only way that’s possible is with self care. Schedule it, whether it’s time alone in the bathroom or reading a book while you’re having your morning tea or coffee before the kids get up.

I escaped to a nice, hot bubble bath with a good book or a cup of tea at my side. Of course, I could still hear the kids through the locked door, but my husband had them and I didn’t need to worry. I would lounge around in there for an hour before coming out re-energized, smiling, and ready to interact with my sweet girls again.

Think of it this way. This isn’t for you (ok, it’s kind of for you), it’s for the kids. How can you be your best self if you’re burnt out, moody, and uninspired?

Intuition – Living in the Future

INFJs have an intuition function to naturally recognize patterns and details and develop a big picture. The information we gather here is then used by our feeling process to draw conclusions. This covers just about anything, from vacations, relationships, and financial decisions to play dates and potential danger, and this is usually a good thing. It protects us and keeps us from making poor decisions.

On the flip side, obsessing about the future can put us in a state of worry about things we have no control over. This is especially true with children. There are so many decisions to be made during their lives, and we always want to keep them safe and sound, but can we really do that and keep our sanity?

I struggled over every decision, falling down a rabbit hole of fear and anxiety. I wanted to control the outcome; somehow guarantee their safety and good choices. That’s our judging function hard at work dictating structure over chaos.

All the while, the decisions got bigger and more complex as my children got older.

I wasn’t a fan of parties, but my teenager wanted to attend one. Although I wanted her to know that I trusted her, I was weary of who was going to be there, alcohol, etc. I told her I would pick her up anywhere. I told her I would help her friends too. I told her to never put herself in a vulnerable position. Then, I told her she could go. Turns out, she left the party early to go to a friend’s house.

Being a J-type doesn’t mean you can’t let go of control. You just have to teach yourself how, since it doesn’t come naturally. If something is not within your control, take a deep breath and have faith in your child, friend, whoever or whatever it is that you are fretting over.

You’ll definitely lose some sleep until you get the hang of it, but keep in mind that 99% of the time, things work out just fine.

Feeling – Our Emotions Run Deep

Because INFJs make decisions through how we feel, we tend to use our gut feeling as guidance. INFJs are usually very loving, nurturing, compassionate, and deeply empathetic parents.

Nurture

The nurturer in me never wanted my children to feel afraid, so I made myself, and our home, their personal safe place. I invited them to come to me for anything, even if it was scary or uncomfortable, and did not judge them or get angry at what they brought up in these conversations.

We did our best to answer questions, share ideas, and allowed them to question everything, even if we didn’t know all of the answers. We wanted them to come to their own conclusions and build their own beliefs, thoughts, and ideas. We wanted independent thinkers.

Of course, once they became teenagers, their independence became a real pain in the ass. I read somewhere that it’s supposed to make their transition to adulthood a little easier for both the parents and the children, but I didn’t find that to be the case. All I could do was be there, listen, and love them, even if they weren’t my biggest fans.

Empathy

Empathy made handing out discipline difficult for me. Even when my kids did something wrong, whether we called them out on it or they came forward on their own, we felt that it was more important to talk about it than to punish them (although we did ground them once in a great while).

One of the biggest downsides to being a deeply empathetic parent (INFJ or other feeling personalities) is that your children won’t necessarily be like you. This makes everything more difficult, especially communication.

“So, an INFJ and ENTJ walk into a room….”

My oldest (“the commander”), an ENTJ, argues like she’s defending an accused murderer on Law and Order, even as a young adult. She’s relentless, confident, and strong-willed. Pretty much the opposite of me, the INFJ.

There have been times where my biggest fear was to have to walk into her bedroom and face her in any sort of conflict…especially a big one. I love her and always feel great empathy for whatever she’s going through, but I also feel like I’m being interrogated by a vicious lawyer with big brown eyes and ringlets.

And, it’s difficult for her too….

In trying to get her to talk to me, she screamed at me with tears streaming down her face, “Why would God give me a mother like you?”. Yes, initially devastating, but I knew the answer. She needed me to help her to express her emotions, just as I needed her to help me see the silver lining, come up with big ideas, or win an argument. 🙂

The best upside to being a feeler is that I know when someone I love is struggling or in pain. I can just sense it in the air, or in their tone of voice, or in the way they carry themselves. This trait is especially useful for a child who doesn’t say much or buries his or her feelings. Empathy also comes into play here, which helps your child know that you understand and support them.

Judging – The Perfect-ionist Parent

The INFJ mother or father approaches life from a “judging” function that facilitates perfection, cleanliness, and a structured environment, which is obviously not always conducive to parenting children.

In some respects, it’s ideal. We keep a clean home, can organize a crazy schedule (my kids were in every sport and activity), and plan a great party. We also have a plan for getting sleepy heads out of bed and to school on time. What we don’t have is the ability to be perfect parents. None of us do.

Being an INFJ mother myself, this can be problematic because we constantly strive for perfection in all areas of our life. Perfect blog post, perfect sandwich, perfect vacation, perfect house, perfect parenting. You know what I mean. It’s an impossible goal, but we still think we can do it.

Essentially, INFJs take parenting very seriously and we don’t want to screw it up, so when we make a mistake, we beat ourselves up about it, sometimes for years. We internalize it, replay it, and rarely forgive ourselves.

In the middle of an argument with one of my teenagers, I got overwhelmed, conceded and stopped talking. I was very upset and didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say much of anything. For 3 days, I answered her questions and went through all the motions of mom stuff, but I wasn’t myself. It really hurt her. I apologized, but she carried it around for years, and because of that, so did I.

The thing is, nobody is a perfect parent, me included. I’m passive aggressive, quick-tempered, impatient, have shoddy coping skills, and my worrying almost always leads to smothering rather than mothering.

Fortunately, this is how we learn and grow as parents.

You’re going to make mistakes. Raising kids is both wonderful and difficult, and you’re always going to dedicate yourself to doing it better than your parents did, but you’re just part of an endless cycle of parenting. In 50 or 100 years, maybe there’ll be perfect parents.

Nah.

Final Thoughts: To be or not to be an INFJ mother

I haven’t seen many INFJ men do this, but I have seen INFJ women in forums asking if they should become mothers. To every woman out there, I want to say, you should not base this decision on your personality type. It really shouldn’t even be part of the equation, BUT…

…the fact that you’re looking up your personality for parenting is already a great indication you would be a loving parent. You are already preparing yourself. Knowing some of the benefits and challenges you could be facing as an INFJ mother beforehand may prove to be helpful, and that’s the only reason I’m sharing my experience with you.

Keep in mind that every single INFJ is different from the next, and that INFJs really do make excellent parents, even with our unique challenges, but everyone has challenges when it comes to parenting because kids are all different too! And…there really is no manual.

I was very nervous when I found out I was pregnant. I wasn’t sure I could be a good mother, and even after I had both of my kids and they were toddlers, I still felt like I wasn’t the right person for the job, as much as I loved them. But, as time went on, I started to feel like I was exactly who they needed, and I wouldn’t change a thing – not even the mistakes.

I am a full-on, textbook INFJ mother with a side of sensitivity, and my husband of 25+ years is a very analytical ENTP. We are so very different when it comes to parenting, but we both somehow bring just what’s needed to the table.

We have made mistakes, said the wrong things, dropped the ball, and a million other things, but we love our children to the ends of the earth, and can only hope that they forgive us. The fact is, they do and say stupid things and so do we…but somehow, it works itself out.

Our children have turned out to be independent, confident, well-rounded, highly intelligent, strong, almost fearless adults. We are incredibly proud of them both. And, you know what? They still call and visit us, ask advice, and tell us how their week went. You can’t really ask for more than that.

You really only need one thing to be a great parent, and that’s love. If you have that, everything else will fall into place.

If you’re an INFJ mom or dad, what have you found to be the most challenging or rewarding about parenting? If you’re a female INFJ considering becoming an INFJ mother, what is your greatest fear?

Tea & ♥,

19 comments

  1. This article gives me hope & I appreciate the words of advice from an INFJ mom who has gone through all the growing stages of raising kids! I am a 34 year old INFJ, married to a wonderful man who is INFP. We have a 2.5 year old daughter & a 1.5 year old son. Even when I was single, I used to worry about if I could handle being a mom & felt like I wouldn’t measure up to being a perfect parent. I have matured over the years & understand that perfection is not realistic or attainable… but I still keep the bar set high for myself. I love my kids soooo much but many days I feel like a snowflake because I can shut down from too much noise or the kids continuously wanting my attention. I know that my children need me but I believe independent playtime is important for them & also for my own sanity. I definitely long for alone time & I get so very little at this point in my life. I believe things will get better, it just feels difficult going through it at the time. There are much harder things in life people are going through so I remind myself of that & count my blessings. My children are two very special blessings & I hope I am able to be just what they need & teach them by example how to balance their logic & emotions in a mindful way as they grow up. Love their smiles & laughter sooo much.

    1. I love this. It sounds like you’re doing pretty darn good, if you ask me. Alone time IS tough with young ones, but when you reach your tipping point, that’s when it’s time to call in dad or grandma, or bring in your babysitter. Moms are naturally labeled as the ones that sacrifice, but it’s not a requirement. We can also ask for help when we need it. Being a mom is a lot to balance, no matter who you are. Thank you so much for sharing.

  2. I stumbled across this post accidentally and boy – this is me as a mother. And although I feel there are definitely hardships in being an INFJ mother (seeing danger for your child in people and/or situations, and wanting to be the perfect mom among the highest ranking) I never doubted I should become a parent. With my social/empathic INTJ partner I felt we could provide the best of both worlds 😉 For those INFJ’s doubting to be a mother, I have one tip: Stay true to yourself and your wonderful, quirky and empathic traits – which are a plus to anyone you decide is worthy of your love (your child being the top priority of course). And rely on the fact that you’ll always take the necesary steps to become the best version of yourself, including a mother. Self reflection is half the work.

  3. Great blog post, so glad to find your website. I’m an HSP INFJ contemplating whether I should become a mother. Do you know if there are any statistics on our type getting postpartum depression/anxiety? I have a history of depression and anxiety and so that’s something I worry about.

    1. Hi Jaime. Unfortunately, I don’t have any statistics on that. I know that about 1 in 7 women get it, and that it’s related to massive hormonal changes that take place during/after pregnancy and/or the fact that a baby arriving changes EVERYTHING.

      I am also prone to anxiety and depression, but I did not suffer postpartum depression with either of my children. I know it’s different for everyone, and those with previous depression may be more prone. If it’s something you’re deeply concerned about, if it were me, I would just be sure to set myself up for success. Keeping myself both mentally and physically healthy throughout the pregnancy would be a priority. I would focus on the things that make me feel good, meditate, get plenty of rest, socialize, eat well, exercise, etc., but most importantly, I would be sure I have the support I need from my family and friends, and my therapist (if needed}, to help me through the pregnancy and the potential negative feelings that might develop.

      You aren’t guaranteed to get PPD, regardless of your past, so I’m not sure it should decide whether you become a mother or not. You can prepare for the possibility of PPD with a mind towards preventing it.

      It may help to access your natural intuition in this decision. All the best.

  4. Hi! Reading this post gave me such insights to the “dreaded” teen years 😫 INFJ momma to a 3 yo and 15 month old – Looking forward to being able to shower in peace again lol

    1. The teen years can definitely go either way. My youngest went pretty smoothly through them, but my oldest was very difficult, but there is a lot of learning on both sides. Umm, I think showering in peace is still a ways off for you, lol, but you’ll get there. Shoot, I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without them screaming outside the door for something!

  5. This is such a beautiful blogpost, thank you for all your words. It felt incredibely soothing to read this. I am a 30 yo INFJ with an ENTJ husband (your daughter’s quote sounded super familiar lol) and I am contemplating every day if I should become a mom, given my personality type. This really gave me hope. Thanks a lot again!

    1. Of course. It sounds like you would make a great mommy – thoughtful, gracious, loving, and hopeful.

  6. Infj married to a Entp as well. We have 6 children. We love them all, but oh wow has it stretched me as a person! They’re all so different! I rely on sugar way to much, lol! Glad to have stumbled on your blog, at midnight, while breastfeeding… : )

    1. I bet – 6 is quite a handful! Yes, I find individuality so powerful and intriguing…to watch each child process something entirely different from another. Life at it’s best. It’s easy to lose yourself in the care of others, though, so take care of YOU as best you can. Glad you stumbled onto my blog, too.

  7. I’m so glad I found your blog! You expressed a lot of what I think about- mostly at 4am as I lie awake beating myself up about what could’ve done better that day or what future ramifications my upset caused w/ my 7 year old son. Sometimes it feels that an INFJ is working against me as a single mother w/ no time to recharge b/c I’m often “in the grip”. Hopefully I get the hang of this before my son is in his teens b/c he is already oppositional.

    1. Hi Jessica. I’m glad you found my blog too! It might feel like your personality is working against you, but that age can really push the boundaries, so be sure the boundaries are strong…and you too. When you need a break, consider bringing in a sitter or ask a friend to take him for a few hours so you can get back to being you. Being a single mom is tough (my mom was one), but I have faith that you’ll do wonderfully. As parents, we all question ourselves, especially when we have a bad day. Just remember to forgive yourself. And, maybe consider making your son a part of your recharge time once in awhile. Ask him if he wants to make some popcorn and watch a favorite movie or show together…and snuggle up.

  8. INFJ with an ENTP hubby here. 🙂 And a 7-year old boy full of energy and love that we adore. All of this was spot on. We’re not perfect parents and he’s not a perfect kid – but we figure it out! Lol! He’s a joy and soooooo smart… I mostly love being a mama even though I thought for MANY years I’d never want to have kids. He was born the month before our 10th Anniversary. I don’t know how we ever lived without him! Lol!

    1. Oh, another INFJ/ENTP relationship – we should chat. 🙂 Strangely, I never planned on having children either. I was, honestly, quite opposed to the idea, but then fate stepped in. It’s interesting, we tend to think we know what we want or don’t want, and then learn later that maybe we didn’t know at all because we really didn’t know what we were missing out on. I’m with you – I could never imagine my life without my precious girls. I just love them SO MUCH, it’s crazy!

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