Quiz: Are you a helicopter parent?

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
Quiz: Are you a helicopter parent?
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About This Quiz

While it's important to protect your children, the level of effort displayed by so-called "helicopter parents" actually often works against the long-term interests of the children they're trying keep safe and help succeed. Are you guilty of hyperactive helicopter parenting? Find out.
When you take your children out in public, you keep them on a short leash. Literally.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's important to keep an eye on your kids, but if you prefer to use a physical leash to do so, perhaps you're taking it a bit far. Work on proper discipline and behavioral development if your kids are this out of control.

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Your child has a nut allergy, and you make sure to inform his or her teachers.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Food allergies are often serious, and a child can have a hard time saying no when pecan-topped, double-chocolate cupcakes are passed around for a classmate's birthday. Making sure your child's teacher is aware of a nut allergy is a good idea.

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When your teen comes home with a bad test grade, you're on the phone with the teacher the next day.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes teachers give hard tests, but the issue often lies with what your teen considers "proper studying" or other factors that aren't the teacher's fault. Stick with strategies like giving you kid tips on ways he or she can improve, help with work or hire a tutor if you can't, and cut the teacher some slack.

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You're all in a huff when you see the stroller you just bought isn't equipped with a "Remove Child Before Folding" warning. What will happen when the babysitter takes your baby out to the park?
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes accidents happen, but if someone requires a warning telling him or her babies shouldn't be folded into strollers, then that person has much bigger problems to deal with. Anyone you plan on entrusting your child to shouldn't need such an obvious cautionary suggestion when it comes to childcare.

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Your teen wants to go to somewhere and you can't give him or her a ride, but you don't let the kid take the bus either.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If it's 10 o'clock at night, you could be justified in vetoing a plan like this. But under normal circumstances, teens are at an age when they need to start learning to how take care of themselves. The best way to help ensure their safety is to prepare for it: Build a solid and trusting relationship with your kids, prepare them with the knowledge of how to handle certain situations, and lay out clear expectations and ground rules for them to follow.

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You let your kid walk to school, even though he or she could ride the bus.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If your child has to cross any busy intersections without a crossing guard, that could be a reason to say no. Or if he or she needs to traverse a stretch with no sidewalk and only a narrow shoulder, that could give you pause. But in many situations, it's perfectly safe for kids to be allowed to walk to school with a few friends. Safety in numbers, after all.

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Your teenagers are procrastinating about filling out their college applications, so you step up and fill out the applications for them.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If your teens can't be bothered to fill out the applications, maybe they aren't college material. And if you do manage to get them in, they'll certainly struggle without mommy and daddy following them around fighting all their battles and picking up all their slack.

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Your teen is preparing to go to an expensive university, and you assist him or her when it comes to navigating the world of financial aid.
You sound suspiciously like a helicopter parent.
You're probably at an appropriate level of attentiveness.
It depends on the circumstances.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stepping up and taking complete control is one thing; helping kids find their way through an unquestionably tricky process (in which some of your own money is likely involved!) is quite another. Just make sure they learn from the process.

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You Got:
/8
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