Personality types and homeschooling

[JumpyTheFrog]

What I struggle with is figuring out what to do when the kids around, because they are such an interruption to my thought process. 

 

Ugh, I know. My kids' superpower is knowing when to come in from outside to interrupt the podcast I'm listening to while working in the kitchen. They can be outside for 30+ minutes and their "podcast detector" goes off within five minutes of me turning one on. Then they continue to find reasons to come in and interrupt me every 5-10 minutes. Sometimes I have to resort to telling them that if they come in again, they are getting extra chores.

 

 

Edited to add:  When they have threads on the General Board about how long it takes your kids to get through their schoolwork, I always have the least amount of time posted.  I really think that's the INTJ "Quest for Efficiency".  We do NOT like to waste time (or see other people wasting time).  LOL.

 

 

I usually feel like I spend almost my entire day waiting for my kids to hurry up and: start eating, finish eating, clean up from eating, find a stupid pencil, find more lead for the pencil, do their school work, eat again, etc. etc. I try not to think about how it all adds up to hours of wasted time every day. Maybe they're aspiring to work at our town's post office or the DMV. (Both places seem to have a knack for hiring the slowest workers that still have a pulse).

[myfunnybunch]

INFP.

 

Interesting that the site said that INFP is the most likely type to be a stay at home parent. :)

[Mergath]

Well first off I'm impressed you typed out all those types.  And second, I went to take the quiz and got bored.

 

So....

 

So you're a TL;DR then. :P  :lol:

[BarbecueMom]

I am almost frightened how every post from an INTJ describing their days and difficulties mirrors my own existence. It's like we're one person inhabiting multiple bodies.

[JumpyTheFrog]

I am almost frightened how every post from an INTJ describing their days and difficulties mirrors my own existence. It's like we're one person inhabiting multiple bodies.

 

No wonder I have insomnia. I'm trying to sleep and the rest of you are yakking in my head!

[JumpyTheFrog]

I think my favorite quote from a recent thread about INTJs was "We don't have time for stupid." I think that's ultimately why so many of us homeschool our kids, even though it sounds like most of us aren't the type that actually enjoys staying at home, especially with little kids.

[BarbecueMom]

I think my favorite quote from a recent thread about INTJs was "We don't have time for stupid." I think that's ultimately why so many of us homeschool our kids, even though it sounds like most of us aren't the type that actually enjoys staying at home, especially with little kids.

Pretty sure that was my senior quote under my name in my high school yearbook.

[lllll]

nm

Edited May 17, 2016 by _ ?^..

[caedmyn]

So many INTJs...that would explain why this forum is so opinionated lol. 

 

I'm an ISTJ. 

[Rachel]

I don't always handle it very well. When I do handle it well, it's because I make kid-free time (sometimes by leaving the house) to sit and think about things and plan and make to-do lists. What I struggle with is figuring out what to do when the kids around, because they are such an interruption to my thought process. If I can make time away from them to actually make the to-do lists, I can do them with the kids around. But I can't get any thinking done with them around. Possibly I should use quiet time for that more often, but I find I often need to do "nothing" during quiet time, so that I can decompress from all of the "swirl". If I use quiet time for "work think" too often, I start to get stressed and resentful.

 

Luckily, God did not choose to bless me with a large family. If he had, I think I'd be curled up in a ball in the corner somewhere.

This is so me! Seriously, I could have written this.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Pretty sure that was my senior quote under my name in my high school yearbook.

 

 

I think mine was "I'm a figment of my own imagination."

[JumpyTheFrog]

Do the rest of you INTJs often feel like your life is in a holding pattern and will only resume once your youngest graduates? I feel like as a person I've been in stasis for the last ten years and won't really come out for another eleven years, when my youngest graduates.

Edited May 4, 2016 by HoppyTheToad

[AndyJoy]

So many INTJs...that would explain why this forum is so opinionated lol.

 

I'm an ISTJ.

Check out my polls from 2010. INTJs are massively represented here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/192646-so-mb-personality-poll-for-introverts/?mode=show

[AndyJoy]

There are far fewer extroverts here. I think others are right that most extroverts are out interacting in person: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/192645-so-mb-personality-poll-for-extroverts/?fromsearch=1

Edited May 4, 2016 by AndyJoy

[pinkmint]

This is so weird. Supposedly INFJs (I always get INFJ on the tests) are the most rare type and here we are a large percentage represented. 

 

I feel like we need another thread just for us... or can you all tell me about INFJ traits you think are common and would make you choose homeschooling? I don't know much about my type but maybe it will help us feel some camaraderie.

 

 

[Mergath]

This is so weird. Supposedly INFJs (I always get INFJ on the tests) are the most rare type and here we are a large percentage represented. 

 

I feel like we need another thread just for us... or can you all tell me about INFJ traits you think are common and would make you choose homeschooling? I don't know much about my type but maybe it will help us feel some camaraderie.

 

Here's an old thread about INFJs and homeschooling: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/441415-how-many-infj-moms-in-here/

 

I'd be delighted if you wanted to start a new one though. :) 

[Garga]

I forgot to mention my main coping mechanism: hiding in the bathroom with the iPad, usually reading this forum.

I spend about 2 hours a day hiding in the bathroom. I don't even like it there. It's the only room in the house without a window and I neeeed windows. But I need to be able to think a complete thought more than I need windows.

 

Those 2 hours aren't all at the same time, of course. They're in 15 minute intervals at strategic times throughout the day. Well, sometimes I'm in there for a full hour at the end of the day because my sweet dh has a habit of talking out loud to himself and clearing his throat a lot. Sometimes I need silence. I even had to take the batteries out of the wall clock because the tick-tock of the clock was just too loud. I need a good dose of silence every day.

 

And, like others have said, I am in a constant state of frustration from waaaaiiiting. Oh my goodness. This week the boys have completely taken over the job of washing dishes and they waste So Much Time. Oh, it drives me crazy. I have to go hide in the bathroom when they're washing dishes or I'll end up harping on them to speed up. Eventually they'll figure out that if they work faster at the dishes they'll be done faster and can do more interesting things? Right? Right?? :)

 

And I've always said that toddlers and I don't mix well. They're pure emotion and no logic and that combination drive me bonkers. I loved my own to pieces, but I feel anxious around other people's toddlers because they're like little time bombs and you never know when they'll suddenly start crying or throwing a fit. And it's always over a completely illogical reason. I don't know what to do with all that pure emotion!

Edited May 4, 2016 by Garga

[Entropymama]

I don't always handle it very well.  When I do handle it well, it's because I make kid-free time (sometimes by leaving the house) to sit and think about things and plan and make to-do lists.  What I struggle with is figuring out what to do when the kids around, because they are such an interruption to my thought process.  If I can make time away from them to actually make the to-do lists, I can do them with the kids around.  But I can't get any thinking done with them around.  Possibly I should use quiet time for that more often, but I find I often need to do "nothing" during quiet time, so that I can decompress from all of the "swirl".  If I use quiet time for "work think" too often, I start to get stressed and resentful.

 

Luckily, God did not choose to bless me with a large family.  If he had, I think I'd be curled up in a ball in the corner somewhere.

 

This is so me.. except I WAS blessed with a large family. I should try to leverage it into spiritual maturity, but it's a challenge.  :laugh:

 

I want my Evil Overlord shirt. INTJ--ask me about ruling the world, because I've got a system! :lol:

 

Is this a real thing? Because I need one. 

 

I think my favorite quote from a recent thread about INTJs was "We don't have time for stupid." I think that's ultimately why so many of us homeschool our kids, even though it sounds like most of us aren't the type that actually enjoys staying at home, especially with little kids.

 

I also need a shirt that says this. 

 

Do the rest of you INTJs often feel like your life is in a holding pattern and will only resume once your youngest graduates? I feel like as a person I've been in stasis for the last ten years and won't really come out for another eleven years, when my oldest graduates.

 

YEEESSSSS. Thank you for putting my life into words. It's not that I don't love my kids or enjoy them (mostly)! It's just that I want so desperately to have focused time producing something. And that, my friends, is not happening. Like Garga, I find myself spending ungodly amounts of time every day waiting. And it drives me batty. 

 

It's so nice to know I'm not alone, though! And that maybe I'm not doomed to failure or a mental institution. 

[Faithful_Steward]

INTJ. It seems a little anticlimactic at this point. 😋

Edited May 4, 2016 by Faithful_Steward

[JumpyTheFrog]

I've started a spin-off thread about survival strategies.

[goldberry]

INFJ (but borderline INTJ).

 

Same here.

[Bluegoat]

I'm an INTP, though my T is pretty close to the center.

 

I always get an I that is as far as it can go.  I have a feeling that has been somewhat exaggerated due to my experiences growing up. 

 

My I is fairly pronounced, I am not a good sensor, and my P is less so but firm.

 

There don't seem to be many of us, and I am actually a bit surprised their aren't more represented here - I'd have thought that like the INTJ there would be more in the homeschooling world. 

 

I seem to be a bit of anomaly though - INTPs are less common among women, are among the least likely to be religious, and often go into computers and technology.  Whereas I am a woman who is religious and spent a lot of time studying theology,  and am something of a luddite.  (Though - I always think that in the middle ages lots of INTPs would be studying systematic theology.)

[ErinE]

INTJ. its interesting how so many of y'all mirror my own experience when I was homeschooling. Except the quiet, efficient children - clearly your children reflect your personality type more than my own. Yes, we had schedule, set routine, school every day, and organized materials. It still doesn't help when your kids don't want to do the work.

[fdrinca]

INTJ married to an INTJ (although I think he's more INTP).

 

Clearly, our house is Party City.

 

[VinNY]

ENFJ/ESFJ    love organized chaos

[Garga]

INTJ married to an INTJ (although I think he's more INTP).

 

Clearly, our house is Party City.

That's us here, too. My dh took the test before me a few years ago and was an INTJ. He was so proud because it's such a rare type. He was going on and on about how special he was and logical and intelligent and blah blah blah and was just the tiniest bit acting like he was superior to me.

 

And then I took the test and was an INTJ as well. Took the wind of his sails.

 

My kids can't possibly be INTJ because they are so inefficient and never think of writing lists or making charts.

 

Last time I was helping to plan a baby shower, I created an excel chart of job duties with due dates for the other people planning the party. I made it a shared document so they could update it when they'd completed their tasks. Yeah...no one made any updates. I'm really embarrassed by it now. I'm sure they were rolling their eyes at me behind my back. I always forget that most people are not like me. Except my lovely INTJ DH. When I told him the story he was all like, "Well, how would anyone know what to do without a chart?? Duh! It was a good idea, but they weren't smart enough to see it." :)

[foxbridgeacademy]

I forgot to mention my main coping mechanism: hiding in the bathroom with the iPad, usually reading this forum.

Mines screaming in the shower so the neighbors don't hear and call the cops.  Probably not the healthiest "coping mechanism"? 

[barnwife]

I am neither introverted nor extroverted. I fall smack dab in the middle. Same thing for N/S. The F and J though are sure bets. I don't think I could change those even if I tried to to trick the thing. 

So I am either ENFJ or ESFJ or INFJ or ISFJ depending on the day/situation.

[happypamama]

That's us here, too. My dh took the test before me a few years ago and was an INTJ. He was so proud because it's such a rare type. He was going on and on about how special he was and logical and intelligent and blah blah blah and was just the tiniest bit acting like he was superior to me.

 

And then I took the test and was an INTJ as well. Took the wind of his sails.

 

My kids can't possibly be INTJ because they are so inefficient and never think of writing lists or making charts.

 

Last time I was helping to plan a baby shower, I created an excel chart of job duties with due dates for the other people planning the party. I made it a shared document so they could update it when they'd completed their tasks. Yeah...no one made any updates. I'm really embarrassed by it now. I'm sure they were rolling their eyes at me behind my back. I always forget that most people are not like me. Except my lovely INTJ DH. When I told him the story he was all like, "Well, how would anyone know what to do without a chart?? Duh! It was a good idea, but they weren't smart enough to see it." :)

And that's why we can be friends, because I'd have been all over updating the chart!

[Garga]

And that's why we can be friends, because I'd have been all over updating the chart!

You'd have loved the chart! It was color coded, with big thick lines between different categories of tasks. Oh, it was beautiful.

[DawnM]

ENFJ or ENFP

 

Can't remember exactly and don't have time to retake tonight.  

 

I hate being home.  I am only a SAHP because my special needs son needed me.

I am going back to work now.  Can't stand being home all the time.  I find it depressing.

Edited May 4, 2016 by DawnM

[JumpyTheFrog]

 I seem to be a bit of anomaly though - INTPs are less common among women, are among the least likely to be religious, and often go into computers and technology.  Whereas I am a woman who is religious and spent a lot of time studying theology,  and am something of a luddite.  (Though - I always think that in the middle ages lots of INTPs would be studying systematic theology.)

My J isn't very strong, so much of the INTP descriptions fit me. It's like I have the ambitions of an INTJ but the indecisiveness of an INTP...a frustrating combination. I am also religious.

[minuway]

INFJ here - married to an INTJ (and most of my good friends are INTJ, INFJ or INFP). I've noticed a higher than normal number of INFJ homeschoolers and attributed it to that types' intense devotion to idealism.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mamiof5]

There should be a type for those of us who after a couple screens don't have the patience to finish up the test. That would be me :)

[sbgrace]

When these things come across here, I'm always interested to see the high percents of introverted intuitives--rare in the general population but common on this board!

 

I'm an ISXJ--often dead even or one point one way or the other on F and T depending on the test. 

[JulieA97]

Every time I take the test it comes up as INFJ, but then I read the description of INTJ and that one sounds just like me. So I guess depending on the day or circumstance I hover between the two.

[LMD]

I want my Evil Overlord shirt. INTJ--ask me about ruling the world, because I've got a system! :lol:

I need one of these for my dh. He's the intj, homeschooling was his idea! I'm the infj.

[LMD]

INFJ here - married to an INTJ (and most of my good friends are INTJ, INFJ or INFP). I've noticed a higher than normal number of INFJ homeschoolers and attributed it to that types' intense devotion to idealism.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha! I just said the same thing - less eloquently- on the other thread!

[LMD]

Also, after reading the replies, most of our marital arguments are about his (INTJ) frustration with my lack of organisation/time management and my (INFJ) emotional reactions! Lololol...

[JaneEyre]

INFP- I had to look up the LOTR and Star Wars charts after reading this thread. Apparently I am Frodo and Luke Skywalker. I feel like I should be going on a quest or something...

[Night Elf]

Ok, I took the free test and got 4 results. ESFJ, ESFP, ISFJ, ISFP. So now I have multiple personalities. I'm glad I didn't pay money for that. So I can't do the poll because I don't know which one to put.

[Bluegoat]

My J isn't very strong, so much of the INTP descriptions fit me. It's like I have the ambitions of an INTJ but the indecisiveness of an INTP...a frustrating combination. I am also religious.

 

There are compesations though, that P makes for a lot of flexibility.

[Bluegoat]

Ok, I took the free test and got 4 results. ESFJ, ESFP, ISFJ, ISFP. So now I have multiple personalities. I'm glad I didn't pay money for that. So I can't do the poll because I don't know which one to put.

 

So you are neither particularly extroverted or instroverted and also have a good balance between perceiving and judging.

 

But you are a feeling sensing type.

 

The numbers for each function can be more important than having a particular designation, though the particular combination works together so it can be harder to see how they will fit if you are more moderate.

 

But generally being moderate is good.  It means that you have good use of both aspects of that function.  It's one of the reasons many people tend toward the center as they get older.  They might not naturally be effective in their T function as young people, but as they age they get better at it and see its use, and it becomes more a part of who they are.

[TammyS]

One of our neighbors who used to read LOTR every year said my kids were like the Elves - quiet, observant creatures, always out wandering around in the woods ... lol  And besides my being an INTJ, 3 of my dc were also INTJ's, so that would explain it.  ;)

 

You are so lucky.  Both of my kids are totally "E" types.  They wear me out.

[TammyS]

Do the rest of you INTJs often feel like your life is in a holding pattern and will only resume once your youngest graduates? I feel like as a person I've been in stasis for the last ten years and won't really come out for another eleven years, when my youngest graduates.

 

Honestly, I feel like I'm in a malfunctioning Tardis.  My oldest is graduating this year, and my younger son is 5.  I'm starting over.  I love my little guy and we wanted another baby for years and years before he was born, but the starting over thing.  It's rough, man.  I'm emotionally burnt out and having a really hard time finding the homeschool joy or excitement (or at this point just tolerance) that I had when my older son was 5. 

[TammyS]

 "Well, how would anyone know what to do without a chart??

 

Exactly!  This is why I need time away to think of what to do when I am with the children.  Because if I don't decide ahead of time (and make a list/chart) I waste enormous amounts of time trying to figure out what to do (mostly because it takes forever before I have a complete, uninterrupted thought).

[TammyS]

ENFJ or ENFP

 

Can't remember exactly and don't have time to retake tonight.  

 

I hate being home.  I am only a SAHP because my special needs son needed me.

I am going back to work now.  Can't stand being home all the time.  I find it depressing.

 

I find this fascinating.  I've always felt sad by people who find staying home depressing.  I feel rather like, "If your home is depressing, fix your home." But maybe it's just your "E" coming out?  Or my "I", depending on which side you look at it from.

[Noreen Claire]

I'm an ESFJ/ISFJ. No clue what this all means, but interested in looking it up and learning more.

[basketcase]

INFJ here - married to an INTJ (and most of my good friends are INTJ, INFJ or INFP). I've noticed a higher than normal number of INFJ homeschoolers and attributed it to that types' intense devotion to idealism.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree - I feel such a need to do something meaningful with my time! So I homeschool and am devoted to my religion. I spend time volunteering. Yep.

[Matryoshka]

Do the rest of you INTJs often feel like your life is in a holding pattern and will only resume once your youngest graduates? I feel like as a person I've been in stasis for the last ten years and won't really come out for another eleven years, when my youngest graduates.

 

I haven't re-taken the test just now, but I've taken it a few times before, and always come out ENTP - but very close to the midline on both the E/I and P/J, so I probably have some overlap with all you INTJ's ;) - and I totally feel like the bolded - especially as my kids have gotten into high school and I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I guess it's good I had my three so close together... I have loved, loved, loved homeschooling, but I have to say I'm feeling ready to be done and get on with my life (although I'm still trying to figure out what that will look like...)