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| What Is Your Grandparenting Style? |
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What kind of grandparent do you think you are... or do you think you will be?
These days, there is no single definition of a grandparent. At one end of the spectrum are those who play a very active role in helping to raise their grandchildren, while at the other end are those who consider themselves their grandchildren's "vacation" from their parents.
Take the following quiz to get a handle on your own grandparenting style. As soon as you have completed the quiz and have gotten your own results, forward this fun quiz to other grandparents who are friends of yours using the spaces provided at the end! Be sure to guess what their results will be, too! This fun, free quiz will then automatically be sent to them.
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1.
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I would describe my overall grandparenting style as:
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A
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Doting - my role is to spoil rather than discipline my grandchildren |
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B
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A mixture of doting and disciplining |
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C
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Disciplining - my role is to assist my children in the raising of their children, and often strictness is what's required | |
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2.
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I would ideally like to spend time with my grandchildren:
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A
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Every day |
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B
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Once a week |
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C
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Once a month |
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D
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Holidays only, please | |
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3.
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If my grandchildren are having a dispute amongst themselves, I:
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A
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Intervene; children don't yet have the problem-solving skills to handle such a situation on their own |
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B
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Let them work it out on their own; it's good practice for real life |
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C
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Give them a few minutes to resolve it on their own, and if they can't, I step in with a solution intended to appease everyone | |
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4.
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If one of my grandchildren appears to be having a problem in school or in the neighborhood, I will:
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A
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Monitor the situation for a while before raising the issue with their parents |
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B
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Raise the issue with their parents immediately |
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C
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Try to address/solve the problem on my own without worrying their parents about it | |
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5.
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If my grandchild feels more comfortable talking with me (rather than their parents) about a certain issue, I feel:
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A
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Understanding; sometimes it's just easier to talk with your grandparent than with your parent |
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B
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Concern; children should be able to talk to their parents about anything at any time |
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C
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Inspired to start a three-way, cross-generational conversation on the subject with my grandchildren and their parents | |
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6.
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If my grandchild misbehaves while in my care, I am willing to use a firm tone of voice, or even to use "time-out" as a method of discipline.
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A
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Always |
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B
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Sometimes |
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C
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Rarely or never | |
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7.
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If my grandchildren's parents were to mention a behavioral concern to me, I would:
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A
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Offer my honest, uncensored opinion without hesitation |
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B
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Hold off for a bit, but ultimately offer my honest (but very carefully worded) opinion |
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C
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Listen but not offer my opinion; they are simply venting, and my role is to serve as a sounding board and nothing more | |
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8.
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When it comes to my role as a grandparent, I feel that in general my grandchildren's parents:
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A
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Are deeply grateful for all that I do for my grandchildren |
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B
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Are quite grateful for all that I do for my grandchildren |
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C
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Could stand to be a little more grateful for all that I do for my grandchildren | |
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9.
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I love being a grandparent:
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A
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Even more than I thought I would |
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B
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Just as much as I thought I would |
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C
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To be honest a little less than I thought I would | |
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10.
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If I disagree with one of my grandchildren's parents' disciplining techniques, I:
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A
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Say so, no holding back; they appreciate my opinion on these matters |
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B
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Consider saying something, but weight my words very carefully if I actually do |
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C
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Say nothing; ultimately, it is not my business | |
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11.
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For me, the most rewarding aspect of grandparenting has to be:
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A
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Serving as a fun, silly pal to my grandkids |
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B
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Spending some time playing and some time teaching and guiding them |
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C
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Teaching my grandchildren and providing them with the strict guidelines and structure that will help them in the long run | |
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12.
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Regarding my grandchildren, their parents:
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A
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Readily ask my opinion on various aspects of child-rearing |
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B
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Sometimes seek my advice and sometimes want to figure out things on their own |
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C
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Seem to want no help from me navigating the ups and down of parenting | |
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13.
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If my grandchildren seem upset about something, I:
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A
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Baby them and sing to them and shower them with affection |
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B
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Take them out for ice cream |
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C
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Offer to go on a walk where they can talk about what's on their mind or not, depending upon their preference |
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D
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Give them time and space to think about what is bothering them | |
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14.
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When it comes to my grandchildren's activities, I:
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A
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Attend every game, every practice, every recital; you name it, I'm there |
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B
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Attend many but not all events |
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C
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Attend as many events as my schedule permits | |
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15.
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When it comes to telling my grandchildren stories about my own youth, I:
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A
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Love to do it, and they love to hear them |
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B
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Love to do it, though they only sometimes love to hear them |
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C
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Do it from time to time, even though they don't really appreciate them now; one day they will | |
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