If you have kids, you are probably aware that it is the end of another nine weeks and time for report cards. I remember many years ago, one of my favorite magazines, Working Mother, had an article titled, “The Parent Report Card.” It seemed a bit awkward to ask my adolescent children at the time to grade me and their dad, on 25 different things. Part of the value of the parent report card is that it brings out issues parents may not realize are important.
Things like “Understands my moods,” “Listens to my problems,” “Doesn’t scream at me when angry” and “Treats all the kids in the family fairly” are graded A to F by each child in the family. I remember being surprised that my 10 year-old son gave me a C when it came to “Letting him make his own decisions.” I’m thinking to myself, “Adam, you’re only 10, so you don’t have the skills to make all of you own decisions.” Still, it reminded me of the important job we have as parents, to gradually let our children gain skills to make more of their own decisions.
It is a good idea to make several copies of the “Parent Report Card” and allow time for each child in the family to grade both mom and dad and also let the parents grade themselves. As parents take the quiz and grade themselves, they may see how the perceptions of one generation can differ from those of the other.
If you would like a copy of the “Parent Report Card” give me a call or send me an e-mail and I will be happy to share.

Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her at 620-793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu.