Kids pass values test

OK, helicopter parents: Time brushoff and pat yourselves on the back. A survey on the beliefs and values of kids shows today’s third- through 12th-graders are making better decisions in just about every area of life than the same age group in 1989.

The nationwide study, commissioned by the Girl Scout Research Institute, questioned 3,263 girls and boys (Scouts and non-Scouts) about everything from underage drinking to civic involvement.

Compared with results from a similar 1989 survey, the youths’ answers offer some hope to a generation of parents often maligned for their over-involvement. Maybe all that hovering is paying off after all.