Parenting Style Quiz

This parenting style quiz is quick and easy and will help you decide which parenting style you use.

Running through our quiz might help you think about how you parent your child will help you become aware of how you react in different situations. In turn this will help you become aware of different parenting tactics and techniques so that you can help your child to develop to their full potential in a loving environment.

All you need to do for this parenting style quiz is answer 10 questions.

Parenting Style Quiz

1. You want to leave the house as you're visiting some friends. Your toddler does not want to go. Do you:
a) Cancel your visit and stay at home.
b) Demand that your toddler gets ready and force him into the carseat.
c) Explain that you've made a date that you want to keep and offer some toys that your toddler can bring along.

2. You are at a playgroup. Your toddler has seen a ride on toy that he wants to play on. He runs up to it and pushes the child off who is on the toy. Do you:
a) Let him get on with it - your toddler is developing his confidence and children have to learn to stick up for themselves.
b) Go up to your toddler, shout at him saying that he is never to do that ever again. He has no biscuit at the playgroup snack time.
c) Go up to your toddler, explain that he is not allowed to push the child off the toy, give the toy back to the other child, your child apologises. You say to your child that he can have a go when it's free.

3. It's bedtime. Your toddler keeps getting out of bed and it's late. Do you:
a) Let him get out of bed, run around. When he's tired he'll go to bed anyway.
b) Order him back to bed, shut the door and ignore any protests. He'll learn who's boss and that'll get him to sleep.
c) Take him gently back to bed, explain that his body needs a rest and keep taking him back to bed without a fuss until he's asleep.

4. Your child has just been given a present. He opens the present and says, "Ughh, I hate it!" Do you:
a) Laugh and smile and say, it's fine to be free and say what you really think.
b) Shout at your child, demand that he apologises, says thank you and plays with the present. His punishment is that you take his favorite toy away.
c) Apologise to the person giving the gift and explain to your child that it's important to thank people. You show him how he could use the present and have fun with it.

5. You're at the swimming pool. Your child is in the changing room and running on the wet floor. Do you:
a) Let them run. They're having fun and if they fall, they'll learn that running might be dangerous.
b) Yell at them to quit running, demand that they come to you immediately to get changed into their day clothes and blame them for spoiling everyone's fun.
c) Tell them to stop running, explain that it's dangerous for them and others and carry on with going swimming.

6. You're picking your child up from a friend's house. They chuck their bag and coat at you to take home. Do you:
a) Pick up the coat and bag, and continue chatting to your friend on the way out.
b) Yell at your child to pick up his coat and bag and threaten that they will not be allowed to come to play again.
c) Ask your child to pick up the coat and bag, to carry it properly and explain that it's important to take care of things.

7. Your child has just had his birthday and has received lots of toys and presents. The next day you're passing a toy shop. Your child want to go in and buy a big toy he's seen in the window. Do you:
a) Go in the toy shop, buy the toy and carry on.
b) Laugh at your child and say "Buy you a toy? You don't deserve it".
c) Look at the toy, and take interest in the toy and explain that he's just had new toys and so he can play with his news toys rather than have another.

8) It's mealtime. Your toddler is at the table by himself and is not eating. Do you:
a) Give him his pudding. He always loves that and he's developing his own sense of taste.
b) Demand that he eats all his food NOW. Otherwise it's time out.
c) Sit down with him at the table, have some food yourself and see if he wants to try some of yours and you try some of his.

9) Your toddler is watching TV and an inappropriate programme comes on. Do you:
a) Let him watch it anyway. He knows it's not real and he's interested.
b) Shout that he turns it off and how dare he watch that kind of programme anyway. You send him to time out.
c) You turn the TV off and explain that some programmes are for older children and adults. You suggest you play something else together.

10) You are walking home and your toddler is crying because he wants to be carried. Do you:
a) Carry him, even though you are carrying bags of shopping. He needs you afterall.
b) Refuse to carry him and shout at him to stop crying and whining and get on with walking home. You carry on walking.
c) Kneel down so that you are at eye level and suggest that you have a rest. Maybe you can carry him a little bit but he's heavy and needs to walk most of the way. You then suggest you hold his hand and play eye-spy.

If you have answered mostly a's in the Parenting Style Quiz

You mainly use the permissive parenting style. If your child wants something he gets it! Beware, have a look at the permissive parenting style. Although it sounds good to let your child be free your child may have difficulties later in life with boundaries, social skills, and this could be detrimental to their school, relationships and work prospects. You might want to think about setting boundaries, expectations and introducing responsibility and empathy.

If you have answered mostly b's in the Parenting Style Quiz
You mainly use the authoritarian parenting style. You are the boss in your household and your child has to do what he is told without reasoning or explanation. Your child may do well in situations where boundaries are necessary but his self-esteem and confidence in his own abilites and judgements will be low. Making friends might be difficult as he is likely to be shy and scared of life.

If you have answered mostly c's in the Parenting Style Quiz

You mainly use the authoritative parenting style. You lay boundaries and your child is able to be free within those safety walls. You take the time to explain to your child the reason for your actions and listen to what your child wants to do. As a result you have a give and take relationship with your child and a generally happy household.

This is a simple parenting style quiz. The point of doing this parenting style quiz is to give you the opportunity to think about your parenting style, so that you can be aware of how you parent and of all the ways you can react to a situation as well as the reactions in between the 3 extremes as above.

Good luck in your research on parenting styles and being the parent you want to be. You might want even to do another parenting style quiz. It's worth remembering that often making just small changes brings great rewards.