Canadian parents more lenient than Italians and French

Children from all three countries described their mothers as warm and communicative. Italian and Canadian children had similar feelings about their fathers and reported high levels of emotional bonding. But French fathers were generally perceived by their children as being more distant and confrontational.

“We were surprised by this,” Claes admitted. “It seems as though the relationships of French mothers with their children were becoming closer over time, while fathers maintain a form of distance and coldness that is more of a source of conflict in France than in the other countries.”

The study also found that boys faced considerably more discipline from parents, who were also less tolerant of their sons' friend-related activities.

Claes suggests that male children were perceived by their parents as being more likely to engage in bad behavior.

“It's a universal observation that boys are often hyperactive, especially at a young age and have more troubles in adolescence. Girls are more internalized, and have more problems such as depression and anxiety. Boys are externalized. You would find this holds true even in Japan and China. It's universal,” he added.

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