Study shows fathers want their kids to be 'satisfied' and have a 'life they enjoy' above all other things

The biggest wish among Irish dads is for their children to have a life they enjoy and are satisfied with, according to a new study.

More than a third (35%) of fathers selected the aspiration ahead of the other options which included financial and career success.

Coca-Cola commissioned this research into Irish parents as part of the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund.

The study also found fathers tend to be less worried than mothers when it comes to their children’s employment prospects.

Fathers overwhelmingly value the importance of continuing on to third level education, with 83% rating it as very or extremely important. Interestingly, 79% of fathers said education plays a more important role today than it did in the past.

48% of fathers would be excited for a son or daughter to explore living in another country, while 50% would rather they remain in Ireland

63% of fathers and 64% of mothers polled say they worry about their son or daughter being led astray.

Only 21% of fathers and 14% of mothers view technology as an enabler of happiness, with the rest saying it does not enable happiness.

This new research into parents follows other findings released last month which show that 54% of young people who have a role model identified that figure as one or more of their parents.

Country Manager, Coca-Cola Ireland, Petre Sandru said: “My role model is my father. He was a top scientist who told me that what you do in life is not the most important thing but how you do it and that you are very good at it. We are delighted to share this research on Father’s Day – a time when we appreciate the fathers who have done so much to help us develop and achieve. Our fathers have our best interests at heart and it’s no surprise to see these hopes and dreams reflected in the findings.

“Similarly, with the launch of the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund, we are seeking projects from community groups across the country that can have a positive impact on the lives of young people, by inspiring and motivating them to achieve their potential. We look forward to seeing the new and exciting entries that come through this year.”