The idea of “Type A” and “Type B” personalities seems ubiquitous ― from workplace stereotypes to online memes. These personality types also show up in parenting, as some c hild-rearers pride themselves on strict structure and optimization, while others embrace a very laid-back, go-with-the-flow approach.But there’s another personality and parenting style gaining traction that doesn’t quite fit into either box. Enter the “Type C” parent.So what exactly defines a Type C parent? And how does this approach compare with the more familiar Type A and Type B styles? Below, parenting experts break down what it means to raise kids with a Type C mindset.“A ‘Type C’ parent is a parent who intentionally aims for good-enough, not perfect,” Susan Groner, author and founder of The Parenting Mentor, told HuffPost. “This approach recognizes that children don’t thrive because everything runs smoothly. They thrive because they feel safe, seen and supported, even when things are messy ― whether it’s the kitchen, the toys or even bedtime.”While Type C parents believe in routines and expectations, they also understand that life doesn’t always cooperate. “Dinner might be planned, but if a child has a meltdown after a long day, connection comes first,” Groner said. “Clothes not making it into the hamper isn’t as important as some much-needed snuggle time.” Type C parenting prioritizes emotional presence and intention over flawless execution and hyper-control. The goal is to raise resilient, emotionally secure kids. “It’s kind of the new buzz word for parenting that’s not too uptight but not too loosey goosey ― some might even say that ‘Goldilocks zone’ in terms of pressure and freedom,” said parenting coach Kristene Geering. “It’s a letting go of the idea that parenting should ― or even could ― be perfect, but not giving up completely and throwing all structure out the window.”How does this style compare to Type A and B parenting?Allison McQuaid, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Tree House Therapy, said the term Type C has appeared in response to parents feeling that they don’t necessarily fit into the Type A or Type B category. “Type A parents are often structured, high-achieving, organized and often very invested, and they prioritize optimizing time, outcomes, resources,” she said. “Type B parents are often more laid-back, go-with-the-flow and less stressed by mess, schedules or deviations from plans.”Although the Type A approach can be valuable, it can also go too far with rigidity, high pressure and unrealistic demands on parents. “Type B parents often bring ease, flexibility and creativity,” Groner said. “That can foster independence, but without enough structure, children may feel uncertain about expectations and boundaries.”Natalia Lebedinskaia via Getty ImagesType C parenting hits a "Goldilocks zone," Geering said. But Type C parenting hits a sweet spot between total structure and total flexibility, allowing people to align their parenting with their values and prioritize the things that really matter.“A Type C parent might have routines and systems in place, but they don’t cling to them when they aren’t serving the child or the family,” Groner said. “They can tolerate imperfection without losing direction. For example, a Type C parent expects homework to be done by a certain time, but if a child is clearly overwhelmed, they pause and reassess rather than pushing through just to stay on schedule.”Instead, they might let their child choose their own “homework block,” which allows for flexibility while fostering self-reliance and time-management skills. The structure is responsive rather than rigid.“I’ve been working with families for a very long time, and this is essentially a rebranding of the model of ‘authoritarian’ Type A, ‘laissez faire’ Type B and ‘authoritative’ Type C parenting,” Geering said. “And research pretty consistently shows better outcomes for authoritative parenting.”What are the benefits of Type C parenting?“I’ve found that many moms find a sense of validation with identifying with the Type C parent themes,” McQuaid said. “Potential benefits of identifying with this type of parenting can include practicing more self-compassion, feeling less pressure to ‘do it all’ and less impacted by parental burnout.”With all the pressure on parents ― particularly moms ― in our culture, there’s a need for a realistic shift toward what Geering calls “good enough” parenting. “We see the ‘picture perfect mom’ on Instagram and other social media platforms, where the expectations seem to be cooking everything from scratch and kids being perfectly groomed with perfect grades and a perfectly clean house 100% of the time,” she said. “And a lot of times when someone sees that, they just sort of give up and feel terrible about themselves, their parenting and even their kids, and assume there’s no point in even trying.”The Type C model allows parents to embrace imperfection and promote resilience in themselves and their children. “Many parents come to it after realizing that perfectionism is exhausting and unsustainable ― not just for them, but for their children,” Groner said. “This approach reflects a deeper understanding of what kids actually need: consistent boundaries, but also flexibility, warmth and room to be human.”By allowing parents to stay grounded when plans fall apart and model regulation, Type C parenting helps children feel secure enough to make mistakes and strong enough to recover from them. “When children grow up in an environment where mistakes are allowed and emotions are welcomed, they learn how to cope rather than collapse,” Groner said. “A Type C parent supports without rescuing or fixing. If a child forgets a project or mishandles a friendship, the parent offers empathy and guidance instead of fixing the problem immediately.”Over time, she added, children will internalize the message that they can handle hard things and they aren’t alone while they learn these lessons. Both children and parents can also embrace the fact that worth isn’t tied to performance or being perfect but to being valued and supported. “If the message to your child is that everything, including you, must be perfect at all times, that is a tremendous amount of pressure to put on your kiddo and yourself,” Geering said.A healthier approach is to demonstrate to kids how you repair when you mess up by taking a beat and having healthy conversations about boundaries, respect or whatever issue is at stake. “Making a mistake is a learning opportunity, not an invitation to give up completely,” Geering said. “If we model for our kids how to handle failure, how to reflect and process what we learned, and then how to move forward productively, that is huge. That is what builds resilience and ‘grit’ and all kinds of things that we want our kids to have.” What are the downsides?“Type C parenting requires comfort with uncertainty, and that can be challenging, especially for parents who were raised to equate structure with success or calm with control,” Groner said. “The balance takes practice. Ultimately, the hardest part of Type C parenting is regulating yourself first. But that’s also where its power lies.”She added that people sometimes misinterpret Type C parenting as permissive or neglectful parenting. “Type C parents still set boundaries and follow through. They simply do so without shame, panic or rigidity.”When a child breaks a rule, a Type C parent wouldn’t ignore that, but they also wouldn’t escalate it into a crisis. They’d enforce clear boundaries and consistent consequences while maintaining the relationship. “Type C parenting can sometimes be misunderstood as ‘not caring’ or ‘being too permissive,’ especially by older generations who approached parenting differently,” McQuaid echoed. She also emphasized that parents shouldn’t feel too limited by labels like Type A, B or C, as nobody fits perfectly into a neat box. “Parenting styles are shaped by temperament, trauma history, neurodivergence, culture, accessibility and resources,” McQuaid said. “What matters most is whether a style is sustainable, emotionally safe and aligned with the family’s values.”