The term "helicopter mom" originated from child researchers Foster Cline and Jim Fay in 1990. They coined the term to refer to a parent who hovers over a child so much so that it hinders the child's ability to be independent. These parents would attend play dates and constantly be watching over their child to make sure they were sharing, playing fair, not eating anything they shouldn't, not touching anything they shouldn't, etc. The child is always being supervised, and if they do anything out of step, the parent swoops in and controls the situation.

A cool mom, on the other hand, lets her kid eat a bit of dirt knowing it helps build immunity, lets their kid try new things (within reason), doesn't try to control every situation and is just more laid back overall. One version of parenting is not better than the other, and one type of mother doesn't love their child more than the other. It really comes down to personal preference, and a lot of times, the way the mother was raised plays a big part in it. Allowing your kids to get hurt every once in a while will help them deal with pain and be less afraid. However, every mother wants to prevent their child from getting hurt, so the urge to protect at all costs is there. Will you be a cool mom or a helicopter mom? Take this quiz to find out!