October 2, 2015

Why story time is better when dad’s reading the book

Fathers reading to their young children can have a surprising impact on their child's development.

My father left school at 16 to start his first job. He never got a college degree but if he had gone to university, he would have studied literature. He loved words and language, in particular poetry.

My father devoured books and would read to my brother and me every night. To this day I am grateful for the love for books and words he instilled in me and my brother.

Where perhaps 20 years ago fathers would not want to be seen pushing a pram, these days it is not unusual to see fathers taking their children shopping, to the playground or the doctor's office.

However, reading to a child is not an activity most men, and women, think of when they talk about father involvement.

In most families mothers are the ones who read most frequently to their children. A recent study conducted by the Booktrust in Britain found that mothers are 50 per cent more likely to read to their children than fathers.

In this study, 42 per cent of mothers, compared to 29 per cent of fathers read daily to their babies. Fathers did read more frequently to older children but even when children were five, 60 per cent of fathers compared to 75 per cent of mothers read to their children daily.

Where fathers in the past were primarily considered breadwinners and head of the family, these days they tend to spend more time with their children and are involved in caretaking activities such as feeding and bedtime routines.

We know that these activities benefit different aspects of children's development in unique ways. When fathers are very involved in children's daily activities and routines, children are less likely to have behavioural problems, are more social and do better in school.

In our research though, with 500 low-income fathers in the US, we found that when fathers read frequently to their children at a young age, this had an impact on their language development one year later and their literacy development two years later. We were quite surprised by this finding.

What was even more striking, was that mothers' book reading did not have this significant impact on child development. So, what's so special about dads reading to their children?

When we looked more closely at what was happening during book reading interactions, we found that fathers used more abstract and complex language.

When sharing a book with their child, they would often link events in the book to a child's own experience.

For example, when a ladder was discussed in the book, many fathers mentioned the last time they had used a ladder to climb up on the roof or use it for their work. Mothers did not do this. Mothers focused more on the details in the book and often asked children to label or count objects or identify colours.

It seems that fathers make different and unique contributions to children's development when reading to them. Fathers are often praised for engaging their children in rough and tumble play and this type of play is indeed beneficial to children.

However, with many children these days, in particular boys, struggling with reading, it is important to have more fathers reading to their children. Often parents do not realise how much children learn from their parents' behaviour.

Watching a father read to his child sends a very strong message that he is interested in spending time with his child and engages his child in one of the most rewarding and beneficial activities for children's development.

Sharing a book not only promotes children's language, literacy and cognitive development, it also builds relationships. What better way to end the day with your dad reading a funny book about farting monsters before you go to bed!

Book reading is an activity that can be done anywhere and anytime: in line at the grocery store, waiting at the doctor's or on the beach or at home. Reading literally builds brains as recently discovered in a study using MRIs.

Therefore more fathers should be encouraged to read to their children. 

Sharing a book can also help children's fine motor skills by having them turn the pages or hold the book. Dads should be more encouraged in helping children develop those skills, for example, by making puzzles with them, drawing, writing or cutting.

Oftentimes, mothers tend to be the ones engaging children in those activities but why not fathers? Fathers can bring a different approach, dynamic and even language to these activities which benefits children's fine motor skills and also their language skills.

Good fine motor skills could help children's language skills as the little research in this area suggests they are related. So fathers, read to your children often and start early.

Also bring out the play dough, puzzles, crayons and scissors to enjoy some quality time with your child while also building important skills for later.

Dr Elisabeth Duursma is senior lecturer in early childhood literacy at UOW's Early Start Research Institute.

This piece was originally published by the Sydney Morning Herald. Read the original article. 

UOW academics exercise academic freedom by providing expert commentary, opinion and analysis on a range of ongoing social issues and current affairs. This expert commentary reflects the views of those individual academics and does not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the University of Wollongong.