Mum knows best!

Fathers often complain that they are used as taxi-drivers by their teenage children. But, according to a poll of the nation's teenagers, that is just about all the average dad is good for.

Adolescents rate their mothers' parenting skills as better than their fathers in every area of life other than ferrying them around by car.

Dads predictably score badly on cooking and fashion - but they also trail mothers when it comes to everything from helping with homework to making an effort for birthdays and knowing friends' names to providing pocket money.

In a total of 36 categories in the Reader's Digest magazine survey, mothers came up trumps in 35 - failing only to convince their sons and daughters that they are better behind the wheel.

Experts said the results reflect the fact that, despite more women than ever working, in the vast majority of two-parent households with children it is the father who works full- time - leaving many with little opportunity to bond with their children.

Frank Furedi, professor of sociology at the University of Kent, believes that teenagers may also tend to exaggerate their fathers' faults due to the influence of negative stereotypes such as Homer Simpson in the U.S. cartoon The Simpsons.

'Dads are often portrayed as second best, deadbeat or more concerned with their jobs than family lives,' he said. 'One of the reasons The Simpsons is so successful is that Homer both reaffirms and amplifies the wider cultural stereotypes.'

Fathers who find it difficult to relate to their teenagers may recognise their plight in the bewildered TV dad of moping teenager Kevin played by Harry Enfield. In the online survey 13 to 18-yearolds across the UK were asked to give their parents grades of A (excellent), B (pretty good), C (satisfactory), D (could do better) or F ( failed) for 36 different aspects of parenting.

Mothers consistently scored highly, particularly in questions about values, involvement in their child's life and providing support. But fathers fell well short in these categories and fared even worse in terms of communication skills.

Ninety-one per cent answered A or B when asked if they liked their mum compared to 75 per cent for dads and 73 per cent said they felt their mothers trusts them compared to 59 per cent for fathers. Only 44 per cent said their father was good or excellent at talking things through without losing his temper, against 60 per cent for mothers.

But 73 per cent of dads were rated as good drivers compared to just 58 per cent of mums. Dads can also take some consolation from the fact that things get better as their children grow up - teens aged 15 to 18 gave them better ratings than 13 and 14-year- olds in key categories such as 'respects my privacy', 'keeps his word' and 'good sense of humour'.

Dr Ann McPherson, a GP and co-author of a book on teenagers, said: 'I think younger teens are more dependent on their mothers for day-to-day looking after.

'When they become more independent that gives fathers more of a role to set boundaries such as when homework has to be done and what time teenagers return home.

' Fathers might also be in a position to give advice without being too intrusive.'

The teenagers were also asked questions about subjects such as sex education.

Forty-four per cent said their father had never tried to explain sex and 9 per cent of those who had, had done a 'hopeless' job.

Mothers are considered easier then fathers to manipulate - 43 per cent against 33 per cent. Overall, 97 per cent of mums and 70 per cent of dads were rated as ' excellent' or 'pretty good' parents.

Dr McPherson added: 'I really feel parents are too hard on themselves. If you've allowed your young person to develop, grow up and to a certain extent experiment - and you've been supportive if they've got into trouble - and you've all come out the other end friends, that to me is a straight A.'