For generations, exasperated mothers warned their naughty children: ‘Just you wait until your father gets home!’
But modern dads may actually have become the biggest parental pushovers, and mothers now fulfil the role of authority figures who lay down the law.
In a study, mothers and fathers of ten-year-olds were asked detailed questions to assess whether their parenting style was permissive, authoritative or authoritarian.
It found British fathers were typically more permissive, based on whether they spoiled their children, gave in when they made a fuss, threatened consequences for poor behaviour and didn’t follow through, and found it hard to discipline their offspring.
Mothers were more authoritative, setting clear boundaries considerately, allowing children to help set the family rules, discussing the reasons for the rules, and explaining the consequences of their children’s actions.
An authoritative parenting style was also measured by how much adults responded to their children’s needs, praised them, respected them and encouraged them to talk about their feelings.
This differs from authoritarian parenting, which the study judged by asking parents how often they told their children off, yelled at them, left them alone with no explanation and did not give reasons for parental actions.
Mums and dads were equally likely to do this.
Modern fathers have become the biggest parental pushovers
Professor Adrian Furnham, who led the study at the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, said: ‘Fathers are more likely to simply give in to the demands of their children.
‘Mothers are more likely to realise that this strategy does not work in the long run and adopt authoritative parenting. This is now widely seen as the most effective parenting style.’
The study, published in the journal Psychological Reports, also found a link with personality traits.
Agreeable parents who were open to new experiences were more likely to be authoritative, as were those with higher self-efficacy – the belief that you can complete tasks you set yourself.
The researchers quizzed 1,000 parents taking part in the UK Household Longitudinal Study into the lives and habits of 40,000 households.
