Which Personality Types Most Enjoy Being a Parent? Based on Data

ESFJs reported the highest level of parental satisfaction. This may come as no surprise, as ESFJs are known for being warm and nurturing individuals who excel at taking care of others. In fact, that’s a defining characteristic of this personality type. They take great pride in creating a stable and harmonious home environment for their family. Being a parent allows ESFJs to fully embrace their natural caregiving abilities, and their organizational skills come in handy when managing the day-to-day tasks of parenthood.

Like ESFJs, ENFJs are highly empathetic and dedicated people who get a lot of satisfaction from helping others. They are natural teachers and leaders, and they bring these qualities to their role as parents. ENFJs are often exceptionally talented at understanding their children’s needs and emotions, making them nurturing and supportive parents. Their selfless nature means that they don’t find it too difficult to prioritize their children’s needs, and they get a great deal of joy in helping their children grow and develop. One of the most common challenges for ENFJs as parents is remembering to take care of their own well-being, too.

ESTJs are known for being loyal, responsible, and practical individuals. These qualities serve them well as parents, as they are able to create a structured and disciplined environment for their children. ESTJs take pride in teaching their children important values, such as instilling a strong work ethic. They also excel at sticking to routines and schedules, which can help children feel more secure and stable. However, ESTJs may need to be mindful of being too rigid in their parenting approach, and they can sometimes be closed-minded if they have children who want to live an unconventional life.

ENFPs are free-spirited and creative people who thrive on new experiences and opportunities. As parents, they bring this sense of adventure and open-mindedness to their children’s lives. They often enjoy the imaginative and playful aspects of parenthood, and they greatly value meaningful connections. As such, they are often deeply invested in their emotional connection with their children. However, ENFPs may struggle with the more mundane aspects of parenting, such as managing household tasks and enforcing rules. They can also find it difficult to balance their independence with their parental responsibilities.

Compared to the other Thinker personality types, ENTJs reported high levels of parental satisfaction. This may be due to their ability to approach parenting with a logical and strategic mindset. ENTJs are natural problem-solvers, which comes in handy when managing the challenges of parenthood. Organizing and delegating tasks comes easily to them, and they are often able to create a well-structured and efficient household. However, ENTJs can struggle with the unpredictability and lack of control that comes with being a parent.

You might expect ISFJs to rank higher on this list since they are known for their nurturing nature. On the one hand, they are one of the few personality types who are able to balance the emotional and practical aspects of parenting. Keeping on top of household tasks and schedules comes naturally to them, and they are often great at making sure their children feel loved and supported. However, ISFJs have a tendency to worry, which can lead to them being anxious and stressed as parents. This can detract from their overall level of satisfaction.

INFJs are known for their deep understanding of others and their compassion. As parents, they are often highly supportive and engaged, which can make their children feel seen and heard. INFJs also have a strong desire to help others grow and develop, which can translate well into the role of a parent. However, their perfectionist tendencies can make them overly critical of themselves as parents, and similar to ISFJ’s, they may struggle with anxiety around their children’s well-being.

ESFPs are warm and fun-loving individuals who enjoy living in the moment. As parents, they bring a sense of joy and spontaneity to their children’s lives. They are great at fostering creativity and helping their children explore new interests. Think jam-packed weekends full of fun activities. However, long-term planning and consistency, which is important for creating a sense of stability, doesn’t always come naturally to them. ESFPs can’t stand feeling tied down, and they have a free-spirited nature. As such, they can find it challenging to manage the responsibility and commitment that comes with being a parent.

Like ESFPs, ISFPs are free-spirited and they bring a sense of creativity to their children’s lives. They are individualistic and value personal freedom, which can make them understanding and non-judgmental parents. Encouraging their children to be themselves and express their individuality often comes naturally to ISFPs. They are the kind of parents who enjoy showing their children the beauty of the world, particularly when it comes to nature. However, ISFPs can struggle with enforcing rules and structure. They can also be sensitive and take things personally, which can make them feel hurt or rejected if their children don’t appreciate their efforts as parents.

INFPs are sensitive and empathetic individuals who can excel when it comes to the emotional side of parenting. They are accepting and non-judgmental, which can make their children feel safe and supported. Their creativity and imagination make them great at thinking up with fun activities and experiences for their children. However, they may struggle with the more practical aspects of parenting, such as sticking to a mealtime routine or doing school runs. They also value their freedom and need alone time to recharge, so parenting can sometimes feel overwhelming for them.

INTJs are great at thinking about the long-term and planning ahead, which can be beneficial in their role as a parent. They are good at setting boundaries and enforcing rules, which can provide structure and stability for their children. However, their highly logical approach to life can make certain aspects of parenting difficult, such as dealing with children’s seemingly irrational emotions and unpredictable behaviors. As one of the most independent and self-reliant personality types, INTJs may also struggle with the constant demands on their time and attention as a parent.

ENTPs rank the lowest out of all the extroverts on this list, and by quite a way. This may come as a surprise considering their natural curiosity and playfulness. They tend to excel at the more creative aspects of parenting and they are easily able to adapt to the different phases of their children’s development. However, they may find it hard to deal with the more hands-on tasks like changing diapers and making meals. Essentially, they crave novelty and variety, which can be at odds with the repetitive nature of parenting. In addition, they have a tendency to become easily bored and may find it challenging to maintain consistent interest in their parental duties. Intellectual stimulation is important to ENTPs, and this can be difficult to find in the day-to-day responsibilities of parenthood.

As arguably the most traditional and rule-abiding personality type, you might expect ISTJs to rank higher on the list of parental satisfaction. On the one hand, their consistency, organizational skills and reliability enable them to create a stable environment for their children to thrive in. However, their tendency towards rigidity and adherence to tradition can make it difficult for them to adapt to changing situations. ISTJs often have a need to feel in control and they like to plan even the smallest details. But this isn’t always possible with children, who often bring a level of chaos and unpredictability. ISTJs can also find it hard if their children don’t conform to their expectations.

INTPs have the lowest parental satisfaction score on the list, but that isn’t necessarily indicative of their parenting skills. While they are great at problem-solving and finding creative solutions to parenting challenges, they may struggle with the emotional aspect. INTPs tend to rely heavily on logic and rationality in decision-making. This can sometimes lead to a lack of understanding of their children’s emotions and behaviors. Additionally, INTPs strongly value their independence and need a lot of alone time, perhaps more than any other personality type. This can be challenging as a parent, where they may feel constantly needed and overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for another human being.