Type C Moms Are Ruling TikTok...And I Think I'm One of Them

When it comes to parenting, I’m a little Type A (everyone’s in bed by 8 p.m. sharp!) and a little…well, not. (My son put his shirt on backwards? No worries, time to get to school!) Like a lot of moms I know, I crave structure. Friday night is ice cream night at my house, but if it’s a sunny Saturday and the kids have managed to get through the day without fighting then guess what? We’re getting more ice cream. Total Type B move.

In case you need a quick refresher, Type A personalities are the ultra-organized, spreadsheet-loving kind of people, whereas Type B personalities have a more laid-back, live-in-the-moment kind of vibe. But what if you’re a little bit of both, or somewhere in the middle? Enter: The Type C mom.

Coined by social media creator Ashleigh Surratt, the concept has gone viral and with good reason—here’s why so many moms (including this mom-of-three) can totally relate.

She’s the perfect blend of Type A structure and Type B flexibility. She’s the mom who accidentally sends her kid to school in pajamas on crazy hat day (oops, mixed up the dates!), but also keeps a meticulously color-coded family calendar and never misses a pediatrician appointment.

In her video, Surratt roleplays both sides: “Thanks for having us over—sorry neither of my kids have shoes,” she says. Then cut to mom on the phone: “No, we won’t need paper towels again until the 2nd. I already have them ordered.” Oh, and she vacuums around the toy pile instead of picking it up (I mean, doesn’t everyone do that?).

And as it turns out, a lot of us are living that Type C life, including this mom who has beautifully labeled clothing storage bins for her kids, but my car looks like a tornado hit it. Other parents clearly recognized themselves as well. “Omgggggg I have found my people. I am oddly organized, but yet chaotic at the same time,” one user commented. And another: “The shoe racks are immaculate, the drawer bins are organized, the go bags are on point, but the dining room table is an absolute catch all and I don’t remember the last time I washed my kids hair.”

Yet another video on TikTok (that has over 6 million views!) shows a mom mid-meltdown saying: “If I hear someone say ‘mom’ one more time, I’m gonna lose it.” Cut to the next shot of her lovingly gazing at a baby photo: “Look how little they were…” (This made me think of Amy Adams's brilliant portrayal of the push-and-pull of being a mom in Nightbitch...but you know, without the whole turning into a dog thing)

Honestly, because it’s a much more realistic way to parent. Being a Type C parent isn’t something I’ve consciously chosen to do. With three kids to wrangle, a full-time job and a pile of laundry that never seems to go down, I’ve had to prioritize the things that matter and let the rest be good enough.

And this is actually pretty common with mothers, notes therapist Salina Grilli, who says that a Type C mom is often a former Type-A personality. “She might have once meal-prepped like a wellness influencer, but now? She’s realistic. Some days it’s organic vegetables, some days it’s frozen nuggets (and both are fine).”

And while I need this balance for my own wellbeing (there’s just no way I could be Type A about everything—I don’t have the time, patience or resources!), I also like the message that it sends to my kids. Hopefully my structured but flexible approach teaches them that it's OK to have expectations but it’s also OK to not be perfect.

“Being a Type-C Mom means allowing yourself to drop the ball, knowing that your self-worth was never in how many balls you could juggle,” writes Grilli.

So yeah, some days the backpacks are packed with enough gear for any and all types of weather; other days my toddler’s rocking a surprise outfit that she had to borrow from her friend’s cubby (thank you, Mia!). Either way, we’re getting through the day…and we’re probably going to get ice cream later.