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It was only recently that I discovered that I’m an introvert, as defined as someone who feels more energized being alone than being with crowds. Someone who needs lots of downtime after spending time with people, even if they had a fantastic time with that group of people.
It made me realize that perhaps that was why it was so easy for me to just stay home with the children and enjoy that time with them. I couldn’t understand why some moms have to keep going out and who said that they felt trapped by the confines of their homes. They were your extroverts, people who need socialisiation to feel energized, the opposite of introverts.
I can talk your ear off if I had to. I can go and make a speech on stage if I had to. I can also make all the small talk in the world if I had to. It’s just after that I will NEED hours, maybe days off, to just chill out ALONE. Even if I had the best time in the world doing it. Apparently that’s what introverts do.
The need to chill coupled with being exhausted almost all the time I guess can make me a very anti-social person, huh? But being a mom of many has curbed many of these introvert leanings. Kids don’t leave you alone to chill, in case you didn’t know that 😉 and so I’ve been leaning to shorten the time I need to chill out alone. It’s not easy, but I’m trying!
And this piece of article on Parenting as an Introvert/Parenting as an Extrovert is a good read.