The main objective of the present study is to identify if the perception that children have of paternal behavior differs from their perception of maternal behavior. A total of 216 children aged 10-11, in regular attendance at municipal schools in Florianopolis, participated in the study. Two questionnaires were used containing both closed and scale-type questions. To analyze the closed questions, the T test was used for each pair of answers. The results of the scale of paternity signify that there is a significant difference between the perceptions that children have of their father (real vs. ideal). As for the perception of the mother, there was a less significant difference. As a general conclusion, it may be said that children perceive the real father as quite removed from the ideal one in aspects relating to care and interaction. As far as the real mother is concerned, she is predominantly closer to the ideal model for these same aspects.
Parental care; Children; Perception; Systemic
