The top 50 skills you need to be a great dad

Driving while distracted, keeping calm during family arguments, and fixing punctures topped the list of skills all dads should attain by the time their kids are teenagers.

Fathers should also know how to erect a tent, plaster holes in walls and set up a Wi-Fi network, according to the poll of 2,000 dads.

The chart also includes putting up bunk beds, flying kites and making a good bacon sarnie.

Other essential skills include fixing toys, replacing bike chains, tying ties and blowing up balloons.

Being handy remains a big part of being a dad, as removing toys from tough packaging, setting up TV’s, and building tricky playsets are all voted as key to being a good dad.

Unfortunately, the average dad reckons they’ve mastered just 46 per cent of the skills they’re meant to have learnt.

A spokesperson for Bob the Builder, which commissioned the poll, said: “The huge list of ‘dad skills’ show just how many roles dads have to fill in the upbringing of their children.

“They’re fixers, builders, comedians, sportsmen, the list is endless.

“It is interesting to see that the majority of the skills which were revealed in this study are ‘hands-on’, requiring dads to be good at mending, making and general DIY - while also keeping their cool and appearing unruffled.”

The study shows fathers are expected to be able to undo difficult knots, tie up shoe laces and set up new computer games.

Dads are required to have decent cooking skills - in addition to flipping pancakes, they should be able to serve up a decent fry-up and master the perfect barbeques.

As sports captain of the house, dads are relied upon to teach the children how to swim , play football and should have a mighty throw when playing ball games.

Taking good family photos, opening jars, setting up the paddling pool and building sandcastles are also key ‘dad skills’.

Interestingly, the average dad thinks it takes just under nine years to truly master their role in the house, and seven in 10 say men are now relied on more than ever before to help out and raise the children.

A resounding 96 per cent of those polled think it is important for dads to be practical, and eight in 10 say it is vital they are able to help with DIY tasks around the house.

In fact, 49 per cent of dads have felt a let down on the odd occasion they weren’t able to fix or build something for the children.

And 66 per cent feel it is imperative they pass on their DIY skills and knowledge to their children during quality time together and play.

Six in 10 dads say they are the one the children go to the most when a toy needs fixing, or something needs putting together.

Four in 10 men polled reckon they do more DIY than their own parents did, and 43 per cent are proud to be a ‘handy person’.

The spokesman for Bob the Builder continues:”It is great to see that modern dads still believe it is important to pass on DIY skills to their children and that they do this by spending quality time together and playing.

“Not only will this benefit their little ones practically in the future, it also teaches values such as teamwork and positivity”.

TOP 50 DAD SKILLS

1. Being calm during family arguments

2. Driving while constantly being distracted

3. Fixing a bike puncture

4. Un-doing difficult knots

5. Putting up a tent

6. Keeping confidences

7. Double checking nothing has been left behind

8. Setting up and tuning the TV

9. Cooking on a barbeque

10. Tying shoe laces

11. Blowing up lots of balloons

12. Tying school ties

13. Changing a tyre

14. Setting up WiFi

15. Plastering holes in walls

16. Flipping pancakes

17. Putting up a bunk bed

18. Teaching to swim

19. Able to cook a fry-up

20. Setting up a new game on the computer

21. Lighting a fire

22. Fixing toys

23. Telling bad jokes

24. Go-to person for opening jars

25. Setting up a new games console

26. Cleaning stains off carpets

27. Fitting a loose bicycle chain

28. Removing adhesive substances off surfaces

29. Taking kids to after school clubs

30. Removing toys from tough packaging

31. Setting up new toys

32. Teaching how to play football

33. Taking good family photos

34. Pumping up footballs

35. Picking blackberries

36. Flying kites

37. Making a good bacon sandwich

38. Rebooting computers

39. Setting up a paddling pool

40. Fixing scooters

41. Building tricky playsets

42. Updating mobile phones

43. Putting up birthday banners

44. Always having the right batteries

45. Soothing a nettle sting

46. Role play

47. Installing tricky software on laptops

48. Building good sandcastles

49. Throwing properly

50. Cleaning football boots