How Involved Are You with Your Kids?

Quiz

1. You have a parent/teacher conference at your child's school, and the teacher expresses concern about your child's grades. You:

  • Express some concern and ask what can be done to improve them. You had noticed her grades were slipping, but your work schedule has been crazy and you just haven't been around as much.
  • Listen absent-mindedly and nod only when you think the teacher wants you to. After all, you can't make your child get good grades.
  • Don't understand how this could have happened. You help your child almost every night with her homework and know everything that is going on at her school.

2. Your child joined a Little League team this season. This is his first year playing an organized sport. You:

  • Attend every single game and most practices. In fact, you had your own team jersey made so your child can easily spot you cheering from the stands.
  • Drop him off and pick him up from practices and games when you need to, but he usually gets a ride from one of his teammate's parents.
  • Make an effort to go to as many games as you can when you have the time, but you can't make them all.

3. When your child gets home from school, she:

  • Makes a beeline for the television and watches it until dinnertime. You're usually too busy with other stuff anyway.
  • Comes to find you, since you are usually doing something and don't hear her come in. You multi-task with other projects, but still find time to chat about her day.
  • Eats the snack you have set out for her and happily talks about her day while you sit with her and give her your full attention.

4. Do you know your child's friends?

  • You know his close circle of friends, but occasionally a name pops up that you don't recognize.
  • Of course! You make it a point to have them all over the house at least once a week. You know all their names, as well as their parents.
  • Um, yeah. My child's best friend's name is Billy. Or is it Bobby?

5. If something is bothering your child, how does she deal with it?

  • She comes right to you. You talk about everything and always know when something is bothering her.
  • She holes up in her room and doesn't talk to anyone. Isn't that how most people deal with their problems?
  • She won't talk to you unless you pry it out of her. Once you get her talking, though, you can usually offer some advice and support.

6. How does your family spend the weekends?

  • You get a babysitter and take off for a weekend getaway without the kids as often as possible. Hey, everyone needs a break!
  • Weekends are usually busy with prior obligations, but you try to spend at least one full weekend a month doing family activities with your children.
  • You have outings planned for almost every weekend. You don't get to spend a lot of time with your child during the week, so the weekends are all about family time!

7. Do you know what your child wants to be when he grows up?

  • No. Kids don't know what they want to be this early in life.
  • He wants to be something different every week! We talk about it sometimes, but it's hard to keep up with his ever changing mind.
  • Of course! We talk about it almost every night at the dinner table.

8. If you were making your child's favorite dinner, what would it be?

  • Oh, that's easy. Although my child is a picky eater, I know exactly what she likes and how she likes it prepared.
  • I don't know. Ice cream? Isn't that every child's favorite food?
  • That's a tough one. I know what my child likes to eat, but I'm not sure I can pinpoint her favorite food.

9. Your child goes to a birthday party where he doesn't know anyone except the birthday boy. You:

  • Drop him off and let him fend for himself. How else will he learn how to make new friends?
  • Call the parents of the birthday boy to inform them of the situation. On the day of the party, you go in with your child and make sure he is feeling comfortable before leaving.
  • Talk with him before the party and encourage him to make some new friends. Although you won't be there with him, he knows he can call you if things go terribly wrong.

10. Your child informs you he wants to go to an overnight summer camp. What is your immediate reaction?

  • Panic. What about all those day trips and activities you've had planned out for months?
  • Sadness. You'll miss him, but you know it will be a good experience. And you'll be able to get a lot of those projects done that have been on the back burner.
  • Woo hoo! A child free summer!

1. You have a parent/teacher conference at your child's school, and the teacher expresses concern about your child's grades. You:
Don't understand how this could have happened. You help your child almost every night with her homework and know everything that is going on at her school.

2. Your child joined a Little League team this season. This is his first year playing an organized sport. You:
Make an effort to go to as many games as you can when you have the time, but you can't make them all.

3. When your child gets home from school, she:
Eats the snack you have set out for her and happily talks about her day while you sit with her and give her your full attention.

4. Do you know your child's friends?
Um, yeah. My child's best friend's name is Billy. Or is it Bobby?

5. If something is bothering your child, how does she deal with it?
She won't talk to you unless you pry it out of her. Once you get her talking, though, you can usually offer some advice and support.

6. How does your family spend the weekends?
You have outings planned for almost every weekend. You don't get to spend a lot of time with your child during the week, so the weekends are all about family time!

7. Do you know what your child wants to be when he grows up?
Of course! We talk about it almost every night at the dinner table.

8. If you were making your child's favorite dinner, what would it be?
That's a tough one. I know what my child likes to eat, but I'm not sure I can pinpoint her favorite food.

9. Your child goes to a birthday party where he doesn't know anyone except the birthday boy. You:
Talk with him before the party and encourage him to make some new friends. Although you won't be there with him, he knows he can call you if things go terribly wrong.

10. Your child informs you he wants to go to an overnight summer camp. What is your immediate reaction?
Woo hoo! A child free summer!

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