According to the survey of 3,000 families in the UK, fights flare up three times a day, usually lasting for five minutes. Families spend 91 hours a year arguing, with mothers the worst culprits for shouting and sulking.

The most common rows were over household chores, children “treating the house like a hotel”, and couples taking each other for granted, found the survey conducted by British database firm Uinvue.

Mark De Netto, spokesman for Uinvue said: “It was interesting to note that mum still seems to play the pivotal role within the family. “However the results do show that dads are getting far more involved.”

Researchers found that daughters were most likely to slam doors during an argument, while fathers preferred to go for a long drive to cool off, The Telegraph reported. Television was a big source of disagreement, with mothers preferring soap operas, fathers wanting to watch sport or documentaries, and children arguing for films or reality TV shows.

“Although arguments are a common factor in all families, our results show that they play a vital role in building and strengthening bonds within the family and act as a release valve for family members, so minor arguments do play a positive role in family life,” said De Netto.