Marital Tension Spreads to Kids

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On days that parents bicker, both mothers and fathers are much more likely to also have tense days with their children, according to a new Cornell University/University of Arizona study.

And although mothers, in general, have conflicts with their children about 40 percent more often than fathers do, fathers are twice as likely as mothers to argue with their kids on days they argue with their wives than on other days.

"Whether mothers work full time or not, however, seems to be key as to whether fathers experience a lot of so-called tension spillover from the marriage to the children," says Elaine Wethington, associate professor of human development and family studies. "In …