Wrapping your daughter in cotton wool could lead to anxiety

Do dads go easier on their daughters than their sons?

New research is claiming that they do - and that this could have a detrimental effect. A study from Australia has found that dads who treat their daughters like 'princesses' could end up causing the girls to develop anxiety disorders. The team behind the study is recommending that dads encourage more competition and rough play, or Challenging Parent Behaviour (CPB), with girls. The researchers at Macquarie University in Australia surveyed 312 families with preschool-aged kids in Australia and the Netherlands. The parents who encouraged CPB in the study were less likely to have children with anxiety issues. Mothers in the study showed no difference in how much they encouraged boys and girls to take risks and engage in rough play but the fathers were likely to be 'harder' on their sons than their daughters. Previous research suggests that rough play and risk-taking can be seen by parents as "too aggressive" for young girls. While this link doesn't necessarily mean that going easy on kids will make them anxious, it is worth some consideration, according to the study's lead author. "By gently encouraging their kids in a reasonable way to push their limits, parents could be helping to reduce their child’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder, said Professor Jennie Hudson, Director of Centre for Emotional Health at Macquarie University.