Parenthood

For Campaigners (ENFPs), one of the great joys of parenthood is sharing their sense of wonder and inspiration with their children. Few things feel more rewarding to a Campaigner parent than seeing their child light up with curiosity about the world around them.

Parents with this personality type want their children to feel accepted and worthy just as they are. Rather than pressuring their children to look or act a certain way, Campaigners encourage their children’s creativity and self-expression. Drawing on their own ingenuity and creativity, these parents guide their children to discover and embrace their unique passions and interests.

Campaigners encourage their children’s curiosity, sweeping away dolls and dinosaurs when interests shift to the ocean, then sweeping away the fish when tastes change again, to the stars.
Campaigner (ENFP) parents

Balancing Love and Discipline

Most Campaigner parents know the value of structure and predictability. That said, they might not have the heart (or, as they may see it, the lack of heart) to enforce rules and restrictions. These personalities often worry that if they’re too strict or disciplinarian, they’ll compromise the loving bond that they have with their children.

With time, however, many Campaigners discover that having just enough structure can actually help their children thrive. Once they recognize this, these parents often learn to set guidelines in a way that’s loving but firm. In this light, enforcing appropriate rules can become yet another way that Campaigners express just how much they love and care for their children.

No matter how their children behave, Campaigner parents rarely lose touch with their open-minded and empathetic nature.

Campaigners tend to radiate acceptance and compassion. As parents, they aim to become confidants their children can open up to without fear of judgment. People with this personality type excel at creating safe spaces where their children can feel comfortable talking about their frustrations and their fears, as well as their dearest hopes and dreams.

Go On, Spread Your Wings

Throughout their children’s lives, Campaigners provide a combination of almost overwhelming love and support. But as children mature into adolescence, they naturally feel drawn to establish their independence. They may spend more time with their friends than with their family or experiment with views and ideas that are radically different from their parents’.

Campaigners often see their children’s choices and behaviors as a referendum on their own parenting success.

Although Campaigners love the idea of their children becoming independent, they may sometimes feel that their children are pushing them away – something that can be profoundly hurtful for these personalities. Campaigners may be free spirits, but they are also sensitive to others’ feelings and expectations, and they may struggle not to take their children’s behavior personally.

Fortunately, Campaigners’ compassion can help them understand and honor their children’s needs through every stage of development. Parents with this personality type have the wonderful ability to meet their children exactly where they are. This can help their children develop a strong sense of self and self-worth, enabling them to venture confidently out into the big, wide world, knowing that they have both themselves and their Campaigner parent to depend on.