"Mothers have a very unrealistic idea of what they're supposed to be," say Janet Penley and Diane Stephens, creators of the M.O.M.S. seminars (Mothers of Many Styles). "They need a way of understanding motherhood that takes into account the human-ness of mothers." Penley and Stevens were interviewed for this series, along with hundreds of mothers. The result is 16 profiles of mothers describing why their children are lucky, what their struggles are, and how they can give themselves a break.

"The kids of ISTP moms are lucky because their moms take a watchful, attentive, responsive, but unintrusive position in their lives. The kids of ISTP moms have plenty of room to run their own lives as much as possible."