Are You Parent Perfect?

Dr. Bruno Bettelheim, founder of the Orthogenic School for Children in Chicago (which educates children with behavioral or emotional challenges), stressed that love alone is not enough to raise an emotionally healthy child. Even the most loving parents make mistakes that can adversely affect their children. These are errors of judgment, not of affection.

A wise parent shapes children to respond in acceptable ways by giving love and attention to them when they are good and dishing out consequences when they are not. But there are often vast differences between what any given parent considers acceptable behavior. Though it is ultimately up to individual parents to decide how to raise their children, there are some general guidelines that, when followed, help ensure a child’s mental and emotional well-being.

The following quiz is based on work conducted by James V. McConnell at the University of Michigan who researched mother-child relationships. If you are a parent (or hope to be one), this test can help you determine what misconceptions you might have about healthy parenting.