The 8 Types of Parents You Meet at School

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Going to your child’s first PTA meeting for the year feels like the first day of school for you all over again. Going through your mind are questions that run from, “Will I make any new friends this year?” to “Will I get voted as class parent representative again?”

Mommy Carly, who admits to always being present but not necessarily active during activities like this at her daughter’s school, shares, “I’m really bad at remembering names, and sometimes what helps me get through a school year is knowing the kind of parent the ones in my kid’s class are. The labels help, ashamed as I am to admit it.”

As for you, what interesting personalities are you bound to cross paths with this school year? This is by no means a generalization, but a collection of observations from moms who have made the rounds in the PTA circles. (Don’t worry – there are all kinds of positive types, too!)

1. The Motormouth Mom
What you hope to be a quick chat at the school gate as you bid goodbye to your child turns into a long conversation. In a span of minutes, you already know the kind of struggle this mom had from the start of the weekend all the way to this morning. And all you ever got to say was, “Hey!”

2. The Do It All Woman (or Man)
We’ve all met one before – the one who seems to be running on a different clock as he or she has time for everything! By the time you reach the school’s gate in the morning, this very lucky parent has already: had a morning run, coffee with the husband or wife, brushed up on the news, and packed a healthy lunch before braving the traffic from Quezon City to Makati (all while looking picture-perfect in that business suit!). Sigh. What we would give to be just like this person!

3. The Dynamic Duo
It makes you wonder if this mom and dad are just plain rich or simply lucky to be able to make a living while being there to see off their child (together) in the morning, bring hot lunch (together) at noon, and pick up their child in the afternoon (still together). Maybe they just have exceptional time management skills? Sometimes you like to ask them upfront. And there’s always one parent who comes up to them and says, “You’re so lucky!” and you can’t help but agree.

4. The Snuffleupagus
Remember Big Bird’s imaginary friend, Mister Snuffleupagus? Well, you could say this type of parent is just like that: invisible. You’ve heard of her, and you might even know that she’s a lawyer or doctor, but you’ve never seen her. She’s also the one with a throng of helpers bringing her child to school, spending all day at the waiting area until dismissal time. On her child’s birthday, the party borders on lavish, and the giveaways are amazing. But you’ve never seen her, not even at important parent meetings, and it makes you just a bit curious.

5. The Event Specialist
This one can round up parents in no time, once there is something important to decide or meet about. She or he has all the parents’ contact numbers (even those who would be selective about giving away their details), and has even created a Viber messaging group for your child’s class. He or she can come up with date and venue suggestions at the drop of a hat, if a student or parent activity needs to be organized.

6. The A+-or-Nothing Mom
She comes to the parent-teacher conference with her own computation of her child’s grades, which also means she has spent a great deal of time poring over the school’s grading system. During question and answer sessions with school administration, her concerns are almost always about grades, and awards and recognition. Teachers dread receiving text messages from her. You know why.

7. The Spotlight Hugger
His or her child may be no star athlete or whiz kid, yet you see this parent at the center of every activity, and people are just naturally drawn to them. They are the ones handing out snack bags to everyone during a class field trip, manning the class booth at the school fair, or sponsoring the class Christmas party – all while their child shies away from the spotlight.

8. The “Steady Lang” Parent
What some parents would give to be the one who is not wont to worry about an average score in a midterm exam, or a minor disciplinary action on their child. Yes, there are those who give utmost importance to the happiness of their child, rather than high grades or academic awards. While they applaud achievements in and outside school, they are also confident that their children are at their best in everything they do. And as long as their children are having fun and are not stressed or pressured, then that is enough for them.

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