Daddy's girls come out top in the battle of the sexes

There are some skills which we consider to be owned by dads, such as how to countersink a screw, change a spark plug and put up a shelf, such abilities that are passed on from father to son. However, following James May’s sensational declaration last year that these practical ‘dad skills’ were in serious decline, Hycote, the UK’s expert car care manufacturer commissioned a survey to better understand why, when it comes to practical ability, sons are proving to be a disappointment.

In the survey, over 1000 fathers, sons and daughters were asked what essential skills they believe the younger generation should have, particularly the men. 88% of fathers stated that the ability to carry out basic DIY and maintenance skills, such as wiring a plug, knowing how to change a car tyre and touching up car paintwork were key skills.

In comparison, men aged 18 to 25 stated that these were very much at the bottom of the skills agenda, favouring the ability to maintain a personal appearance (98%), especially when it came to attracting members of the opposite sex.

So where it seems the skills gap between fathers and sons is widening, the survey reveals that women are taking the ‘dad skills’ baton and running with it. 90% of women aged 18 to 55 said that their dad had passed on skills such as how to wire a plug and conduct basic motor maintenance.

Overwhelmingly, women across the UK believe men should all have the ‘dad skills’ to carry out basic DIY and car maintenance, but also be a smart dresser with an eye for fashion in order to be considered attractive – with a good sense of humour falling to third place.

Maybe unsurprisingly, 81% of women stated that they would not like the extremes of a man’s man or metrosexual partner, but would rather be in a relationship with a man who was a combination of both – someone who can select a good bottle of wine in a restaurant whilst still taking charge of the DIY in the home and on the car.

Commenting on the survey results, managing director of Hycote, Mark Lyth, says: “Whilst many men are not conforming to the traditional gender stereotypes, their natural decline is a result of the environment that we live in today - along with distractions of video games that often meant less time was spent with fathers.

“Women are more careful with money than men , which goes some way to explain their attitude to gaining ‘dad skills’. Within the fast pace of life it’s often easier to call in a service and pay them to do the job or rely on new technology, but I predict that there will be a trend towards men also looking to cut costs and therefore go back to dad for help to regain the lost skills.”

To encourage more ‘dad skills’ up and down the country Hycote has developed a selection of products including paints, valet and maintenance ranges to ensure that all vehicles can be given the professional finish at home.

For more information on the Hycote range visit hycote.co.uk.