Parents in the South West Still Conform to Gender Stereotypes

• Almost half of fathers in the region aren’t affectionate with their children

• Fathers are less involved in daily responsibilities, on average

• Mothers teach their children practical skills, such as cooking and riding a bike

New research reveals that the average family in the South West still conforms to many traditional gender stereotypes, despite shifting attitudes when it comes to raising children.

The study shows that, on average, fathers are less likely to show love and affection than mothers, with almost half (46%) of dads in the region admitting they aren’t affectionate with their children. Fathers were also found to be twice as likely to take an authoritarian approach to parenting by setting clear and strict rules for their children than mothers.

When it comes to the softer skills of parenting, the survey, which MyNametags.com commissioned, found that the majority (67%) of dads in the South West prioritise quality time with their children, but it is mums who are more likely to plan how they will spend their time, for example, by organising trips at the weekends (54% vs 61%).  

This is reflected nationally with the data showing that UK mums are almost a third more likely to arrange playdates for their children than dads. In addition, mothers are more likely to do arts and crafts with their children, help with homework, and bake or cook with them. Women were even found to be more likely to teach their child to ride a bike than men (55% vs 39%), something which has traditionally been seen as ‘dad’s job’.

Despite these findings, attitudes are shifting when it comes to some aspects of parenting. Over half (55%) of men say they feel pressure to be a good parent. Fathers are also more likely to feel they must compensate for being a working parent than women (57% vs 51%). This could stem from a fear of judgement, with over half (57%) of men admitting that their peers with children influence their parenting style and a further 44% saying that social media is a contributing factor.

Lars B Andersen, Managing Director at MyNametags.com, comments: “Whilst modern families look very different to how they did 50 or 100 years ago, our research shows that many of the stereotypical roles of mums and dads still remain when raising children in the UK.

“We can see that attitudes are shifting, and dads are becoming more conscious of their role when raising children, so it will be interesting to see how this continues to evolve in future family dynamics.”

Visit the My Nametags website to find out more about the differences between men’s and women’s parenting styles.