A parent who is overly attentive and doting toward their child or children. The term comes from the notion that they are "hovering" around their children at all times. Don't be a helicopter parent. Your daughter is 18 and fully capable of picking her own classes.

A caregiver of a child who assumed the parental role through marriage to one of the child's original (usually biological) parents. Most commonly, a step-parent is the second spouse of one of the child's biological parents. Through my marriage to Kent, I became a step-parent to his three beautiful daughters.

Of a set of parents who were previously married or in a relationship with each other, to jointly raise their child(ren). My ex-boyfriend and I co-parent, so the kids will be with him this weekend. John co-parents with his ex-wife.