Half of all Brits admit to secretly having a favourite parent, a new study suggests. 

Researchers found most kids prefer their mum – but only until they’re teenagers. After that, 35% of children switch allegiance to their dad, around the age of 13.

The poll of 2,000 adults, by ChannelMum.com, found that our loyalties seem to continually shift, with a third of people switching sides and becoming closer to mum once again from the age of 20 – particularly when moving house, getting their first job or getting married.

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Overall, the study found four in 10 adults get on better with their mum, while one in seven prefer dad’s company.

Parents pick up on this favouritism, the study found, as 13% of them feel jealous of how close their children are to the other parent – with more than four in 10 worrying about their kids drifting apart from them as they get older.

Commenting on the research, parenting expert Siobhan Freegard said: “It’s often assumed that children are always closest to their mum, but this simply isn’t the case.

“As fathers become more hands-on, there are plenty of children and adults who value the bond with dad just as much – and in some cases even more than their relationship with their mum.”