Are you a Type C parent? It's the trendy new way to raise your kid — but experts say it's ‘messy'
Are you a Type C parent?
Coined by mom-of-three Ashleigh Surratt, this tongue-in-cheek term is resonating with millions of parents who say they juggle structure with a dash of chaos.
Type C parenting blends the discipline and organization of Type A with the relaxed spontaneity of Type B.
'She's got the planner, but also the mystery sock pile,' Surratt quipped in a viral TikTok video that racked up over 4 million views.
Surrat said 'C' moms are the type with labeled bins and piles of laundry. The ones who schedule nap time down to the minute—but somehow can't find their debit card.
'You're not a mess. You're not failing,' Surratt reassured fellow moms in her trending TikTok explainer. 'You're actually in really, really great company.'
'I think a strength of ours is we've learned to hold what's important and kind of let go of the things that don't matter.'
Parents across the globe chimed in with their own 'Type C moments': using the dryer as a dresser, reheating the same cup of coffee four times, or creating a chore chart next to a forgotten pile of socks.
Type C offers a refreshing dose of realism. It's structured yet flexible, capable yet forgiving. In short, it's a parenting style for modern life.
Explaining this parenting style, marriage and family therapist Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC, told Good Morning America: 'You're choosing to loosen up in certain areas — maybe the house isn't spotless, maybe dinner's frozen — because you've realized that connection matters more than control.'
'You still care. You're still showing up, just in a way that actually works for your real life. If you're still connecting and responding with care, even when it's messy, that's Type C,' Groskopf said.
So if you've ever balanced a packed calendar with a pantry full of half-eaten snacks —you just might be a Type C parent.
And according to the internet, that's exactly where parents belong.
'It may be made up, but I've never related more. It's called balance!' the top comment on Surratt's video read.
'Ummmm no you didn't make it up… you just helped us define it!!! NEVER FELT MORE SEEN!' another said.
Groskop said: 'Structure tells kids, 'You're safe. I've got you.' Emotional flexibility tells them, 'You're allowed to be human.' When you blend both, kids learn they don't have to be perfect to be loved, and that builds real trust.'
'The balance teaches kids that the world can be unpredictable and still safe. You're not raising a robot. You're raising a human who knows how to adapt, feel and stay connected, because they saw you do it.'
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