What type of homeschooler are YOU?

[Jen in Va]

I just found this thread and was wondering as I read through it on to which side I would fall. I see both in myself. The sick question was the clincher. Olive, for sure. To confirm I did a very Olive thing. I took the lists for both Betty and Olive and pasted them into Word. I changed the font so that all was uniform (I was working from one that someone had customized for herself) and went through and bolded the ones I see applying to me. I am overall an Olive with a strong Betty tendency to tweaking--curricula, knitting patterns, recipes--and disorder--I struggle with housework, but I think I have a mutant lazy gene, because I didn't get it from my mom or dad.

Betty's

Characteristics of a Betty

a) Relational
b) Processing through conversation
c) Needs to be creative/ Must have wiggle room
d) Simplicity ='s Consistency w/ daily routine type tasks
e) Thrives in both giving and getting words of affirmation


Strengths

a) Encouragers
b) Excitement Builders
c) Empathetic
d) Emotional
e) Forgives and Forgets easily
f) Visionaries
g) Others Centered
h) Tend to see the glass half FULL
i) DOERS


Weaknesses

a) High expectations for others to be relational and affirming
b) Sensitive
c) Struggles being excited/content with routine
d) Struggles w/ self-discipline
e) Too quick to say Yes
f) Struggles with details
g) Can be naive


OLIVES (most of my closest friends are Olives)

Characteristics of an Olive

a) Informational
b) Craves quiet, order and routine (I crave the latter two, they just don’t exist in my house right now)
c) Internalizes and ponders to figure things out
d) Likes to stick to a plan
e) Enjoys imparting knowledge and Insight


Strengths

a) Self Confident
b) Takes responsibility and commitments seriously
c) Loyal
d) Practical
e) Generally academic and capable
f) Good Listeners- Give good honest feedback
g) Purposeful/Diligent
h) Logical/ Analytical
i) THINKERS

Weaknesses

a) Not naturally in tune with others feelings (may appear insensitive at times)
b) May tend to respond to conflict with logic and reason rather than desired emotional support
c) Not naturally good at expressing feelings and emotions
d) Can be prideful and think their way is the right way, the only way
e) Can lean towards sarcasm when feeling uncomfortable
f) Judgemental
g) Too quick to say NO

[MidwestMama]

I think I have a mutant lazy gene, because I didn't get it from my mom or dad.

Jen, too funny!! This is exactly me too.... dust doesn't bother me, and I can't promise the laundry is kept up very well. My parents don't know where they went wrong...

This is fun to read!! I am pretty sure I'm a Betty... I have a hard time sticking on task or to a schedule, and easily go off on a tangent. I am glad that HOD is so easy for ALL types of us to use!!

Cris

[blessedwith2]

Okay, this is a GREAT thread....but is it possible to start out as an Olive and then change to a Betty?!?!

All through school, including college, I was a TOTAL Olive. I even had classmates asking me in college for tips on getting organized and how to study. I could only participate in "study groups" after COMPLETING my own indpendent studying...then I loved helping others to study and teaching them my "creative ways" of remembering facts (mostly mnemonic devices) .

Then, I became a mom....and then I had two children.....with each child, my Oliveness disappeared more and more. To take the test today, I would be 80% Betty and 20% Olive. (Does it make me an Olive that I even said that?) I still am organized when it comes to meetings (i.e. at a co-op we're starting in the area)....I am always creating forms and compiling information for the group. Yet, I LOVE talking with people (especially new homeschoolers) about homeschool stuff and sharing info that I've learned from veteran homeschool moms.

So, sorry about the lengthy post....I guess I'm just an Olive with Betty tendencies...or now a Betty with Olive tendencies....Maybe I'll just call myself an Ursula the Undecided too!

Thanks for the info, Mary!

Delia

[blessedwith2]

I re-read the litmus test questions....I couldn't decide with questions #1 and #2, but #3 told all....I'm an Olive at heart, with lots of Betty tendencies!

Delia

[crlacey]

Just bumping this back to the top since it was asked about in another thread.
Crystal

[MamaMary]

Hi Girls,

I just want to remind you that your personality is based on the three litmus test questions and not the characteristics and strengths. One thing I found to be confusing for some, (through feedback) is for those that are Olives, but their husband is super Olive. They thought of themselves as Betty's because based on their husbands personality they appeared Betty. However, they were still Olive's, just with Betty tendencies.

Also, you can purchase the Betty/Olive workshop we did at the FPEA Convention here in Florida. Here is the link: http://www.fpea.com/Convention/index.htm

Click on the order form at the bottom. We are the first workshop

[gracelikerain]

Characteristics of a Betty

A) Relational
B) Processing through conversation
C) Needs to be creative/ Must have wiggle room
D) Simplicity ='S Consistency w/ daily routine type tasks
E) Thrives in both giving and getting words of affirmation


Strengths

A) Encouragers
B) Excitement Builders
C) Empathetic
D) Emotional
E) Forgives and Forgets easily
F) Visionaries
G) Others Centered
H) Tend to see the glass half FULL
I) DOERS


Weaknesses

A) High expectations for others to be relational and affirming
B) Sensitive
C) Struggles being excited/content with routine
D) Struggles w/ self-discipline
E) Too quick to say Yes
F) Struggles with details
G) Can be naive

Characteristics of an Olive

A) Informational
B) Craves quiet, order and routine
C) Internalizes and ponders to figure things out
D) Likes to stick to a plan
E) Enjoys imparting knowledge and Insight


Strengths

A) Self Confident
B) Takes responsibility and commitments seriously
C) Loyal
D) Practical
E) Generally academic and capable
F) Good Listeners- Give good honest feedback
G) Purposeful/Diligent
H) Logical/ Analytical
I) THINKERS

Weaknesses

A) Not naturally in tune with others feelings (may appear insensitive at times)
B) May tend to respond to conflict with logic and reason rather than desired emotional support
C) Not naturally good at expressing feelings and emotions
D) Can be prideful and think their way is the right way, the only way
E) Can lean towards sarcasm when feeling uncomfortable
F) Judgmental
G) Too quick to say NO


I put in bold what I relate too most.
I think I am Olive with Betty tendencies. I have huge rejection issues so I find it difficult in relationships( i am so loyal & many are not ....by me anyway) except with my dh who is my best friend. I am a lefty but ambidextrous really. I read this many times & couldn't figure out where I fit until the #3 question. I like to be alone when sick. I am gereally shy but once I warm up, look out ! Afterwards, I REALLY NEED QUIET time to recharge myself. Otherwise I am a mess. When I reach my point of emotional stimulus then I MUST leave & I can panic a bit if I cannot. Here, God really comes in to help me. I am so NOT creative yet I long to be! I love order & need a routine to feel accomplished. My mom is sooo Betty. She talks to EVERYONE! Always embarassed me as a kid by talking to folks in stores etc. I always wanted to hide!! She is a clutter bug, I hate clutter & always cleaned up after her. Now, my dh is like me. But he is very compassionate. More than me....

Love this...thanks Mary & I want your disclaimer too! Sometimes, I feel it is too much work to put it out there right. So, I do it in my head! But, oh how I desire to write & post! Maybe, when I am not chasing little ones!

[holyhart]

OK, so I think I'm a Betty but have some Olive tendencies.

Thanks for bringing up this thread again to clear the whole thing up! Now I don't feel so left in the dark.

[peridot]

This is the first time I have responded to the olive/betty thread. I think I am a betty with an olive twist...sounds like a cocktail.

I took a learning styles quiz with my children today and it was pretty interesting. I got the link from my sister. It is http://shop.knowledgeadventure.com/Depa ... eries.aspx

Our 2 youngest (at the moment) are 3 and 5. They both are categorized in musical/interpersonal intelligence. Our oldest will be 8 at the end of August and she placed in the logical/mathematical and naturalist intelligence. I took it at the 4th grade level (the highest it would go) and I placed in the naturalist/visual-spatial intelligence. We are just all over the board! I just thought it was pretty interesting.