The ‘casual contempt’ shown for fathers on TV programmes and in advertising, which invariably depict them as hapless and lazy, is being criticised by parents  according to a new study.  In this report, 90 per cent of mothers and fathers say the archetypal bungling TV dad unfairly misrepresents the reality and overlooks the contribution that the modern dad makes to family life.

The research, carried out by Netmums forum on-line, singled out Peppa Pig’s lazy, overweight father, workshy Fred Flintstone and couch potato Homer Simpson as particularly damaging to children’s perceptions of fatherhood.

This study of more than 2000 parents was conducted to mark Fathers Day and it was found that eight out of 10 fathers said that they had made a conscious effort to be better than their own dads had been and would be making an extra effort to be more involved in their children’s day-to-day lives.

So with fathers seemingly trying harder to be a better parent, it is unfair that the media consistently mock them.  So give the dad in your life a break this fathers Day and treat them with the respect that they deserve and teat him to a special daddy gift.

And remember all you dads out there, they are only TV shows and a bit of fun so there’s nothing really to get hung up about.   Keep Calm – it’s only a TV programme!!!!