71% Still Say Being a Father Most Important Role for A Man

The FINANCIAL — The majority (71%) of American Adults continue to believe that being a father is one of the most important roles a man can fill in today’s world, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twelve percent (12%) disagree, and 17% are not sure.

These results are virtually unchanged from our survey conducted a year ago.

Sixty-four percent (64%) think that being a mother is the most important role for a woman to fill in today’s world. 

Similarly unchanged from last year is the finding that just 16% view Father's Day as one of the nation's most important holidays. Nineteen percent (19%) say it is one of the least important holidays, while 60% rate it somewhere in between the two.

By comparison, 34% last month said Mother's Day is one of the nation's most important holidays. 

This nationwide survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 12-13, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Bill Cosby once said, “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.”  This year, most fathers can expect a gift, a visit or a phone call this Father’s Day.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) plan to give their father a gift. 

Sixty-four percent (64%) say they will visit their dad on Sunday. Twenty-six percent (26%) will call instead.

Men are much more likely to visit their fathers than women this Father’s Day. Women are twice as likely as men to call their fathers on June 20.

Unmarried adults intend to visit their fathers more than those who are married. Those with children in the home are more likely to call their dads than those who don't have children living with them.

Eighty percent (80%) of Americans believe it’s Very Important for children to grow up in a home with both their parents.

Seventy-two percent (72%) agree that children who grow up in a home with both parents have an advantage over children whose parents are divorced.