It's official. Happy mum makes for a happy child

London: Move over dads! A happy mother makes a greater contribution to her child's overall happiness than the father, a study suggests.

In a survey of 6,441 women, 5,384 men and 1,268 children aged between 10 and 15 years, from 40,000 households, 60 percent of young say they are 'completely satisfied' with their family situation.

But in families where the child's mother is unhappy in her partnership, only 55 percent of them admit being 'completely happy.'

Professor John Ermisch, Maria Iacovou, and Alexandra Skew from the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), found that the happiest children are those living with two parents - either biological or step - with no younger siblings.

They do not quarrel with their parents regularly and eat at least three evening meals per week with their family, according to an ISER statement.

Iacovou added: "At a time when there is widespread political concern about 'Broken Britain', these findings show that family relationships and the happiness of parents are key to the happiness of young people.

"Contrary to the popular belief that children only want to spend time playing videogames or watching TV, we found that they were most happy when interacting with their parents or siblings."

The research also finds that having older siblings is not related to children's happiness with their family, but having younger siblings in the household is associated with lower levels of satisfaction. The younger the siblings, the greater the effect, the study said.

But relationships with parents are even more important than relationships with siblings. Only 28 percent of children who quarrel more than once a week with their parents, and do not discuss important matters with them, are completely happy with their families.