1. It's already way past her bedtime but your three-year-old daughter refuses to go to sleep. You:

Lull her to sleep by singing her favorite Disney song.

Read her favorite bedtime story for the umpteenth time; then gently tell her to go to sleep.

Promise her that if she goes to sleep on time, she'll soon wake up to a yummy breakfast and an early playtime.

2. You’re chatting with a friend while your kids are playing. The next thing you know, Grandma’s figurine is broken. After making sure your kids are unharmed, you show a mock horrified face. Then…

Chide them gently while explaining why it’s never a good idea to run around the house.

Tell them to be more careful next time, and ask them to apologize to grandma for breaking her precious figurine.

Investigate to find out who broke the figurine and assign corresponding chores as atonement for their carelessness.

3. You’re about to attend a party in your best cocktail dress. Your sweet little daughter sees you, and with her face all lit up with admiration, she runs to hug you with grubby fingers full of choco. Oh dear.

You feel mortified but decide not to scold her.

You groan but compose yourself quickly and hug her back.

You ask your daughter to wash her hands, then show her your smudged dress and ask her to help you clean up.

4. Your six-year-old son forgets to put away his toys and clean his room for the nth time. What do you do?

Tell him his toys are unhappy because he’s not taking care of them and that they might run away one night while he is sleeping.

Help him put away his toys but tell him the next time he leaves a mess you won’t buy him another toy. And you mean it.

Immediately make him clean up his mess and discipline him by making him stand in the corner.

5. While at a shopping mall, your seven-year-old drags you to a toy store and starts acting up to pressure you into buying her a toy.

Buy her the toy to stop the whining and point to the other kids that are not crying.

Tell her you don’t have the money right now but she can help you save up for it.

Try to divert her attention and act oblivious to interested stares from other people.

6. Your son has just discovered a love of color, crayons and pens. Unfortunately, he turned the walls of your house into his canvas. You decide to:

Reprimand him for drawing on the walls, but silently remind yourself to buy washable pens.

Tell him that he’s not supposed to draw on the walls and give him a paper pad to draw on.

Be a stern mom and tell him that the walls are off limits, period.

7. Your son refuses to eat the lunch you prepared because he’d rather play outside.

Tell him he won't have dessert unless he eats his food.

Put away the food and save it for a snack later. He’ll eat when he’s hungry.

Tell him he doesn’t have to eat if he doesn’t want to but he has to sit at the table with the rest of the family until the meal is finished.

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CHECK THE SCORES AND SEE HOW YOU FARED

(Mostly As), You’re a Devoted Top Mom!

You join in the fun (watching movies, school activities) and your kids see you more as their friend than their mom. You also have a tender heart, which is why you often point to your husband as the authority figure within the family.

While it is a good thing that your kids confide in you and see you as someone they can rely on, there may come a time that you might have to put your foot down and establish your authority as their mom.

(Mostly Bs), You’re a Discerning Top Mom!

You are a nurturing mom who supports her kids wholeheartedly. You respond to their needs by providing practical solutions. In your household, you encourage your kids to be helpful and have self-confidence. And you believe in open communication between you and your kids.

When it comes to discipline, you tend to explain to your kids the reason for reprimanding them so they can better understand the consequences of their actions. Your forgiving nature often leads to chastisement instead of harsh punishment.

(Mostly Cs), You’re a Decisive Top Mom!

You’re a firm mom who expects her rules to be followed. Your kids’ safety is your utmost concern, which is why obedience is the most important aspect in your household. You believe that your kids deserve the best, and in return, you have high expectations and demand much from them.

While your intention to teach your kids to be respectful and submit to your authority is understandable, there are times when affection and leniency rather than punishment will work better with your children. Saying “because I said so” too often without explaining the reasoning behind your rules may turn out to cause confusion and later rebellion in your kids.

(***The types of parenting styles for this quiz were patterned after American psychologist Diana Blumberg Baumrind’s studies. Using naturalistic observation, parental interviews and other research methods, Baumrind identified three different parenting styles, namely Authoritarian Parenting, Authoritative Parenting and Permissive Parenting.)