Blog Post
Understanding the Mom -Boss Connection Pt 1
5/11/2025
The Mom Factor Categories + The Boss Factor Categories
(by Henry Cloud and John Townsend)
1. The Phantom Mom
This mom is cold and distant to a degree. Beyond culture, it might be for all kinds of reasons. But there is a lack of emotional connection between her and at least one of her children.
2. The China Doll Mom
The China doll mom is fragile and easily upset. She has trouble handling other people’s emotions. She can be too distant or too close or switch randomly between the two but negative emotions seem to crush her.
3. The Controlling Mom
Fueled by anxiety, the controlling mom attempts to control and hover over the child as a way of binding her anxiety and other emotions including loneliness or even shame.
4. The Trophy Mom
The trophy mom turns her children into trophies or stars in order to emotionally satisfy herself, her lack of accomplishments or self-esteem.
5. The Still-The-Boss Mom
This mother has never let go of the role of being a mom from the early days of motherhood. Even as a child has clearly reached adulthood the still-the-boss mom wants to oversee the adult child’s life.
6. The American Express Mom
The American Express mom will tend to spoil the child and not let the child have the consequences and problems of their own natural irresponsibility as a child. Sometimes this is a way to exert control over the child, to cover loneliness and to create friendship that is actually inappropriate for a child or adolescent.