Mums want dads to be more like David Beckham, Simon Cowell

A new survey has revealed that mums want dads to be more metrosexual like David Beckham and Simon Cowell.

With metrosexual males like former soccer ace David Beckham and Simon Cowell spearheading the "softie dad" image, fathers are expected to be "kind and fun" instead of macho, gadget mad stereotypes, the Mirror has reported.

The conventional role of fathers has changed dramatically, as they rack up 16,708 pounds worth of chores a year, devoting an average of 21 hours a week to the family from helping with homework to drying tears.

Caring dads are worth more than 300,000 pounds in unpaid duties from being a taxi driver and sports coach to cook, by the time their child turns 18.

The study, ahead of Father's Day on June 21 found the top job for modern dads was to be a role model to the kids rather than a DIY guru.

Giving children moral guidance and teaching them a work ethic are seen as more important than being the main breadwinner or trawling websites looking for the best bargains on cars and holidays.

Research by parenting forum Netmums revealed mothers would rather their other halves played with the children three times more than they do than brought home a bumper wage packet.

The survey also revealed men felt under pressure to look as good as showbiz stars like Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling or Daniel Craig with a quarter worried they had love handles and beer bellies and were not slim and sexy.

Yet only one in ten women thought body shape was an issue and three quarters said it was more important to give the family love and attention than have abs like model David Gandy.

But the one area where women thought there was room for improvement was household chores with more than half wishing their husbands would help out more often.

While both parents are seen as equal heads of the household in six out of ten families, a third thought mum was the boss and less than one in ten said dad was in charge.