If you tend to hover over your kids – get out of their way!

If you hover over your kids to be sure they don’t get hurt...

...not only are you a helicopter parent, you could be making them fat! A new study in the American journal of Preventative Medicine found that the single biggest barrier to children’s physical activity on a playground was the presence of a hovering parent.

If you’re that parent lingering under the jungle gym or warning “Not too high!” on the swings – your kid is a lot less likely to run around and get as active as the other kids. And if you’re the parent who feels more comfortable with your child safe at home playing video games than outside taking some risks – it could be a big problem.