Welcome to the next big skirmish in the so-called "Mommy Wars": the all-perfect, always-matching "Alpha moms" vs. the more relaxed, go with the flow "Slacker moms".

(Check out the video from the Today Show!)





The Alpha mom has been showing up with increasing regularity recently on both the playground and in the pages of all the parenting magazines. But some recent trends suggest a backlash: hence, the rise in the number of moms who say they are "Slackers" and proud of it. And guess what? While no one is saying that one mothering style is superior to the other, some experts suggest that there are actually real benefits to getting in touch with your Slacker side. Kids whose moms back off a bit and let them do more for themselves may have more opportunities to learn from both their successes and their failures and thus develop greater self-confidence and independence.

So, in one corner, meet the dot every “i” and cross every “t” Alpha mom. If parenting were a class in school, she’d be the one going for every last extra-credit point. Alphas hand out home-grown organic carrots (“nature’s own candy”) for Halloween, shelve their toddler’s picture books according to the Dewy Decimal System, and color-code their carpool schedules, in triplicate.

And in the other corner? Meet the way, way laid back and oh-so-mellow Beta or Slacker mom. She’s the one content to squeak by with a passing grade in Motherhood 101. Slackers leave an open box of Lucky Charms on their doorsteps for Trick or Treaters, conveniently place their kids’ library on the bathroom floor, and use the back of the carpool schedule to write a note to the teacher about why Fruit By The Foot should be considered a school-friendly healthy snack.

If Alphas are overly involved in every last bit of minutia in their kids’ lives, right down to personalizing each goody bag with glued on rhinestones, Slackers are content to take things as they come (what goody bags?). Alphas get the job done AND everything matches. Slackers get the job done, too—the results just may not be pretty.

Not sure where you fit in? Take our quiz to find out if your an Alpha mom or a Slacker mom. Then, once you know your parenting style, post it loud and proud on our "Are you an 'Alpha mom' or a 'Slacker mom' " poll!