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Some moms are Type A. They have chore charts laminated and meal plans locked in two weeks ahead of time. Other moms are Type B. They’re rolling with the chaos, showing up at soccer practice with a half-eaten granola bar and a shrug.
And then there’s us.
The Type C moms. The overthinking, people-pleasing, detail-obsessed moms who live in a constant state of I want this to be perfect, but also why am I like this?
If you’re not quite Type A but not fully Type B, if you spend way too much time thinking about things other people don’t even notice, if you care so much but also so much about everything, then, friend, you might be a Type C mom.
Signs You Might Be a Type C Mom
You Apologize for…Everything.
Your kid bumps into someone at the grocery store? “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, he’s just learning personal space!”
Your toddler melts down in Target? “I swear, she usually naps! I think she’s teething. Or hungry. Or possessed, I don’t know. I’m so sorry.”
Your friend texts you “hey” and you don’t respond for an hour? “I AM THE WORST HUMAN, PLEASE STILL LOVE ME.”
Meanwhile, your best friend (a classic Type B mom) hasn’t replied to your text from last Tuesday, and she’s out there just… living her life. No guilt. No shame. You aspire to be her.
You Overthink Everything
Whether it’s deciding between oat milk or almond milk or wondering if your child’s last playdate invitation seemed “too eager,” your brain is in constant analysis mode.
You replay conversations, anticipate possible reactions, and sometimes get caught in the spiral of “what ifs.”
You plan birthday parties like an event coordinator, but also stress for weeks that no one will come.
You’ve got a Pinterest board dedicated to “Under the Sea” themes, and you’ve spent hours debating between two slightly different shades of blue for the tablecloths.
But the second you send out invites, your brain is screaming, What if everyone already has plans? What if they come but secretly hate it? What if my cake looks like a Pinterest fail and goes viral in the worst way?
You rephrase texts 27 times to make sure they don’t “sound weird.”
Hey! Are you free for a playdate? → Hey, no pressure, but if you’re around, maybe we could get the kids together? But totally okay if not!!!
And then you analyze their response for hidden meanings.
You say yes to things you really, really don’t want to do.
Volunteering to be room mom? Sure!
Baking 48 homemade cupcakes for the class party? Of course!
Agreeing to a last-minute sleepover even though you were dreaming of a quiet night? Ugh… okay. (And then you spend the entire time mentally listing all the ways you could’ve said no.)
You overanalyze every decision like it’s a life-or-death scenario.
Picking a preschool? You researched it like an FBI agent. Choosing a car seat?
You have tabs open from Consumer Reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and a random mom blog from 2014. Even simple things—like which shoes to buy your kid—require a detailed pros and cons list.
You care deeply about making everyone happy… at the expense of your own sanity.
You don’t just want your kids to be happy—you want everyone to be happy.
Your kids, your spouse, the teacher, the mom in your playgroup who always seems a little meh about you (but you keep trying to win her over anyway).
You twist yourself into a pretzel making sure no one is upset, and then wonder why you’re so exhausted all the time.
Your Kids’ Feelings Are Your Full-Time Job
You replay conversations with your kids at night like they’re dramatic courtroom trials.
- Did I handle that meltdown in a gentle-parenting way, or am I funding their future therapy sessions?
- Was I too harsh about bedtime, or did I set a healthy boundary?
- Did I give enough positive reinforcement today?
Meanwhile, your child has already forgotten about the thing you’re agonizing over and is happily dreaming about dinosaurs or unicorns.
The only person overthinking this is YOU.
The Type C Mom Struggle is Real
You care. That’s what makes you a Type C mom. You care about doing things right.
You care about making people feel good. You care about details that other people overlook. It can be exhausting, but it’s also what makes you you.
You’re the mom who remembers the little things. You’re the one who sends the thank-you texts, who notices when someone is having a hard day, who shows up for people even when they don’t realize they needed you.
You bring thoughtfulness into a world that moves too fast.
But here’s the thing. You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to be the one who always says yes. You don’t have to make everything perfect. You don’t have to make everyone happy.
What if, just for today, you let something be good enough? What if you didn’t second-guess the email you sent or the snack you packed? What if you said no without apologizing?
You are already a good mom. You don’t have to overthink it. You don’t have to prove it. You just have to be you. And that is more than enough.
